Mayors of Major Korean Cities Request "Establishment of Grade 3 Positions and Expansion of Local Taxes"

The Association of Mayors of Major Cities Nationwide (Chairman Lee Seok-woo, Mayor of Namyangju) formally requested the Ministry of Public Administration and Security on the 17th to expand the autonomy of major cities.

Association Chairman Lee Seok-woo, Mayor of Namyangju, and Vice Chairman Lee Seung-hoon, Mayor of Cheongju, visited the ministry that day and delivered a joint proposal to Minister Jung Jong-seop requesting three measures to expand municipal autonomy: expansion of organizational authority, strengthening of financial authority, and guarantees for legislative authority.

Specifically, the cities proposed the establishment of Grade 3 positions, comprehensive upward adjustment of standards for departments and divisions, and provisions for establishing local research institutes to expand municipal organization.

In addition, as a measure to strengthen financial authority, the cities requested a phased expansion of the local consumption tax rate from the current 11% to 20% and an upward adjustment of the national government's burden rate for social welfare expenditures.

The Association of Mayors of Major Cities Nationwide was founded in April 2003 with major cities of 500,000 or more residents as members, excluding Seoul and metropolitan cities.

Currently, 15 major cities including Suwon, Pohang, Changwon, Seongnam, Cheonan, and Cheongju are members.