Mayor Yeom Tae-young: "Special City Designation Amendment to Local Autonomy Act Is Legislation That Will Shape Korea's Future"

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Seo Dong-young] Suwon Mayor Yeom Tae-young expressed confidence, stating, “The comprehensive amendment bill to the Local Autonomy Act containing the special city designation will take responsibility for the future of South Korea's administration.”

On the afternoon of the 9th, following the passage of the ‘comprehensive amendment bill to the Local Autonomy Act’ in the National Assembly plenary session, Mayor Yeom held a welcome address at the front of the National Assembly Building together with Mayor Baek Gyun-gi of Yongin, Mayor Lee Jae-joon of Goyang, and Mayor Heo Sung-moo of Changwon.

Mayor Yeom expressed his hopes, saying, “The amended Local Autonomy Act will lead the formation of extensive regional networks and take responsibility for the future of South Korea's administration.”

He continued, “Just as it is natural for a person to wear clothes that fit their size, it is only natural in an era of local decentralization to grant special city status to cities according to their scale. I have never once doubted that special city designation for cities with a population of over one million would be possible.”

He also stated, “I met with Democratic Party Leader Lee Nak-yeon, Prime Minister Jeong Se-gyun, Interior and Safety Minister Jin Young, and lawmakers from both parties and the opposition who could help realize special cities, and conveyed the wishes of the citizens. That effort has never been betrayed.”

The four city mayors welcomed the amendment to the Local Autonomy Act, saying, “Today, a great new page in South Korea's administration has been written. Our fervent hope to grant new status befitting our cities' scale so that we could undertake greater tasks and more projects for the better lives of our citizens has finally been realized.”

The National Assembly held a plenary session that afternoon and passed the ‘comprehensive amendment bill to the Local Autonomy Act,’ which grants the designation of ‘special city’ to major cities with a population of over one million, with 238 votes in favor, 7 against, and 27 abstentions among 272 members present.