'Completion of Suwon Special City' Initiative Launched with 'Special City Development Suwon Citizens Forum'

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Jung Jun-sung] On the occasion of the second anniversary of Suwon Special City's launch, the 'Special City Development Suwon Citizens Forum' has been established to contribute to the 'completion of Suwon Special City.'

The Special City Development Suwon Citizens Forum held its inaugural ceremony on the 5th at the Suwon City Hall's main conference room and took its first steps. Mayor Lee Jae-jun of Suwon presented appointment certificates to the forum members.

The Special City Development Suwon Citizens Forum consists of ▲public relations strategy division ▲external cooperation division ▲special city system division ▲finance and economy division, comprising four divisions and a 'policy advisory support group' composed of experts including professors and researchers.

Fifty-three members including citizen representatives, professors, youth representatives, women representatives, business representatives, small business representatives, NGO civic organizations, researchers, and Suwon City Council members serve as members in the four divisions.

The Special City Development Suwon Citizens Forum, which has set its goal as 'Making special cities live up to their name! Realizing special cities as citizens can experience,' plans to operate based on four major strategies: ▲raising current issues ▲expanding consensus ▲establishing systems ▲securing financial privileges.

The forum plans to hold discussions and forums related to special cities to discover special authorities that reflect various citizen opinions, and to form a nationwide network through cooperation and connection with other special cities and related agencies. It plans to prioritize discovering financial and economic privileges for substantial completion of special city status.

Mayor Lee Jae-jun presented challenges to be addressed by joining forces with civil society: ▲securing special city authority (financial and administrative privileges) ▲easing regulations on congestion control zones ▲construction of Gyeonggi International Airport, urging the 'Special City Development Suwon Citizens Forum to unite efforts in promoting these three tasks.'

He continued, "I hope to work together with citizens of other special cities to secure special city authority," and added, "I will move forward together with you to secure such authority."

Meanwhile, in December 2020, the 'Comprehensive Amendment to the Local Autonomy Act,' which contains provisions to grant the designation 'special city' to large cities with a population of 1 million or more, passed through the National Assembly, and the Comprehensive Amendment to the Local Autonomy Act was promulgated on January 12, 2021. According to the supplementary provisions stating 'implementation shall begin one year after promulgation,' Suwon City made the leap to 'Suwon Special City' on January 13, 2022, 73 years after its elevation, opening a new chapter in local autonomy.