Celebrate 5th year of local governance

It has been five years since the localized self-governance policy was enacted. However, with each passing year, local governments` incurred debt and pork-barreling incidents have been on the rise, even as problems with public works and the destruction of the environment seem endless. The informal inner circle of an academic think tank has claimed that the local self governance policy needs to be reformed through the introduction of a more comprehensive financial auditing system and a fairer nomination process for local elections.

A gathering to celebrate the 5th year of local public elections was held July 19th at the Korea Local Finance Association in Seoul, sponsored by Minister of Government Administration and Home Affairs Choi In-Ki and Mayor of Inchon Choi Ki-Sun. About 200 people, including many officials of local self government agencies and professors from various universities, attended the celebration.

At a debate sponsored by the Korea Research Institute for Local Administration and supported by the Dong-a Ilbo, Yoon Young-Jin, a professor of public administration at Keimyung University, revealed that the total liabilities of local self governments increased 55.6% in five years as each local government issued a large number of bonds after the implementation of local autonomy.