Gyeonggi Provincial Assembly Proposes Enactment of 'Local Assembly Act' with Independent Audit and Budget Authority

On the 25th, marking the 35th anniversary of the revival of local assemblies, the Gyeonggi Provincial Assembly delivered a 'proposal urging the enactment of the Local Assembly Act' to the National Assembly and requested concerted efforts to have the bill enacted by year's end.

On that day, Nam Jong-seop, Speaker of the Provincial Assembly (Democratic Party, Yongin District 3), Choi Jong-hyun, head of the Local Assembly Act Enactment Task Force, and committee members Bang Seong-hwan, Lee Young-bong, and Choi Chan-min sequentially met with Kim Young-jin, Chairman of the National Assembly's Administrative Safety Committee, followed by National Assembly members Lee Gwang-hee, Shin Jeong-hoon, and Kang Deuk-gu, and delivered the proposal urging enactment and the Assembly's own draft bill.

Speaker Nam and the task force expressed gratitude to members who have shown interest in local assemblies and contributed to the bill's proposal and deliberation processes, and requested their continued efforts to enable the Local Assembly Act to be enacted by year's end.

The delegation also met with Yoon Ho-jung, Minister of the Interior and Safety, explaining the necessity of enacting the Local Assembly Act and conveying the request that the government lend its active interest and support.

The Provincial Assembly previously launched the Local Assembly Act Enactment Task Force on July 23rd and prepared its own 'Local Assembly Act Draft Bill' (Gyeonggi Provincial Assembly version) by reviewing institutional improvement measures suited to the realities of local assemblies.

The proposal included content emphasizing that as local assemblies serve as one pillar of local governance representing the will of residents and checking and monitoring executive bodies, they require an independent legal foundation commensurate with their roles and responsibilities.

Additionally, the Gyeonggi Provincial Assembly version includes institutional improvement measures such as expansion of autonomous legislative authority, strengthened organizational autonomy, granting of independent audit authority, securing independence in budget formulation, and expansion of legislative and policy support systems.

Speaker Nam stated, "Thanks to the efforts of members who directly proposed the Local Assembly Act and continued to show interest in the National Assembly, the consensus on enacting the Local Assembly Act has become broader than ever," and added, "On behalf of metropolitan assemblies nationwide, we express our gratitude for the continued interest and efforts."