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NARS Holds Joint Conference on 'The Significance of the 30th Anniversary of Revival of Local Governance and Future Direction for Local Decentralization'
  On Thursday, July 8, the National Assembly Research Service (NARS) co-hosted 'The Significance of the 30th Anniversary of Local Governance and Future Direction for Local Decentralization' with the Seoul Metropolitan Council, the Korean Association for Local Government Studies (KALGS), and the Korea Research Institute for Local Administration (KRILA). This year marks the 30th anniversary since the reorganization of local autonomy in 1991 which made this year a special one. To celebrate the anniversary, this academic seminar focused on future tasks to realize local decentralization, offering a venue for not only experts, but also public citizens to share their views.

  During his opening remarks Park Byeong-seug (Speaker of the National Assembly) asked participants to gather wisdom as the National Assembly, at the end of last year, fully revised the Local Autonomy Act—something which had not been done in 32 years. In order to usher in a new era of true decentralization, participants highlighted that fiscal decentralization and support for the population in declining areas should be realized so that the capital and non-capital regions can co-exist and mutually develop. In his welcoming remarks, Kim Man-heum (Chief of the NARS) said that he is positive about the new era of local autonomy as the Local Autonomy Act has been amended and revised, and that he hopes the seminar uncovers crucial tasks regarding local decentralization as a national strategy.

  The seminar was divided into 3 sessions. Park Ki-gwan (President, KALGS) presided over the first session, “The Significance of the 30th Anniversary of the Revival of Local Governance and Future Direction for Local Decentralization” and Kim Choung-tae (Director General of the Seoul Metropolitan Council Local Decentralization Task Force), Kim Tae-young (Professor, KyungHee University Department of Public Administration), Park No-soo (Professor, University of Seoul), Lim Jung-Hyun (Member of the Jeju Special Self-Governing Provincial Council Autonomy Administration Committee), Choi Bong-Seok (Professor, Dongguk University College of Law) and Ha Hye-young (Legislative Research Officer, NARS Public Administration and Safety Team) shared their views as discussion panelists.

  The first session provided an overview of the history of local autonomy and panelists’ views on the changes in local autonomy system based on the revised Local Autonomy Act that passed the National Assembly last year. In particular, participants agreed that for the advancement of an era of local autonomy, strengthening the right of local autonomy and autonomous legislative power are necessary.

  Hong Jun-hyun (Professor, Chung-Ang University College of Public Service) presided over the second session, under the theme “Seoul Metropolitan Council’s Role and Vision for the Local Autonomy 2.0” and Kim Jong-mu (Member of the Seoul Metropolitan Council Local Decentralization Task Force), Geum Chang-ho (Senior Researcher, KRILA), Kim Sangmi (President of Research Institute of Local Councils), Song Kwang-tae (Professor, Changwon National University Department of Public Administration), and Lee Ki-wu (Professor, Inha Law School) joined the session as discussion panelists.

  During the second session, panelists exchanged their thoughts on the independence in personnel management and direction for the introduction of a professional support system that takes effect beginning next year. Participants argued that the main pillar of the local autonomy is the expansion of local council’s rights and, therefore, local councils’ own series of classes should be established.

  During the third session titled, “A New Paradigm for Realizing the Local Decentralization,” Lee Dong-hyun (Member, Seoul Metropolitan Council), Yeo Myeong (Member, Seoul Metropolitan Council), and six citizens who took part as youth panelists joined the Q&A session.

  During the one-hundred minutes of expert discussion, this academic seminar led to meaningful selection of major future tasks and opened up public discourse with citizens. We expect this seminar will serve as an important reference point when diagnosing the past and present of local autonomy in Korea and presenting relevant future tasks amid the rapid changes in society.

NATIONAL ASSEMBLY RESEARCH SERVICE NEWSLETTER VOL. 44 | SEPTEMBER, 2021 | NATIONAL ASSEMBLY RESEARCH SERVICE, REPUBLIC OF KOREA
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