Mayor Kim Yong-seo Elected Chair of National Large Cities Mayors Council

Suwon Mayor Kim Yong-seo has been elected as the new chair of the National Large Cities Mayors Council, representing metropolitan areas with populations exceeding 500,000.
The National Large Cities Mayors Council held a regular meeting on the 23rd at Suwon City Hall conference room, attended by heads of 10 large cities including Suwon, Jeonju, Chungju, Pohang, and Changwon, as well as vice mayors of Yongin and Seongnam.
At the meeting, members elected Kim Yong-seo, Suwon Mayor, as chair and Park Seung-ho, Pohang Mayor, as vice chair to lead the organization for the coming year and push forward tasks including the introduction of special provisions system for large cities.
Mayor Kim stated his vision as the new chair: "I will make every effort together with member local government leaders to introduce the special provisions system for large cities, which we are pursuing to improve the current system in which large cities are treated the same as general small and medium-sized cities."
The National Large Cities Mayors Council held an interim report meeting on "Research Project on Special Provisions Recognition for Metropolitan Areas with Populations Over 500,000," which was commissioned in October last year.
The National Large Cities Mayors Council was founded in April 2003 by nine local governments including Suwon with a population of 500,000 or more, and brought about amendments to the Local Autonomy Act stating that "special provisions can be made in accordance with relevant laws, taking into account the characteristics of large cities with populations of 500,000 or more, excluding Seoul and metropolitan cities, in their administration, financial management, and national government oversight and supervision."