Suwon Mayor Yeom Tae-young Elected Standing Co-Chair of National Democracy Leaders Council for Local Autonomy

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Seo Dong-young] Yeom Tae-young, Suwon Mayor and chair of the Korea Association of Mayors and Governors, was elected standing co-chair at the "National Democracy Leaders Council for Local Autonomy" (KDLC) founding general assembly held at the Sejong City Hall on the 20th.

KDLC is an organization established in 2015 by mayors, county governors, district mayors, provincial and metropolitan assembly members, and municipal council members nationwide to jointly respond to local government issues and promote decentralization. It comprises Democratic Party-affiliated local government officials, provincial and municipal council members.

"I will achieve political innovation in Korea and innovation in the lives of our people together with the democracy leaders for local autonomy," Mayor Yeom said. "While the responsibility weighs heavily on me, I will not shy away from the path I must take."

He continued, "Local governments and local assemblies have decided faster and responded more swiftly than the central government in the face of the national crisis of COVID-19. Citizens have newly experienced through the COVID-19 crisis that local government is the entity that protects my life."

"We will enter a new era of local autonomy and decentralization through KDLC," he said, emphasizing "The power to turn the crisis brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic into an opportunity lies with us grassroots politicians."

Democratic Party-affiliated provincial and municipal government officials and provincial and municipal council members total 2,455. There are 177 members of the National Assembly.