Metropolitan Mayors' Council Pushes Forward with 89 Legal Amendments Including Vice Mayor for Political Affairs and Deputy District Office Director Posts

The Metropolitan Mayors' Council (Chairman Kim Yong-seo, Mayor of Suwon), composed of 12 major cities with populations exceeding 500,000, has begun pursuing 89 legal amendments including the Local Autonomy Act to secure recognition of special provisions for metropolitan cities.

The council held a breakfast meeting on the 3rd of this month at the Lexington Hotel in Seoul to discuss "legal amendments regarding the scope of special provisions recognition for metropolitan cities."

At the meeting, the council prepared 89 legislative amendment bills including the Local Autonomy Act to minimize economic costs incurred through administrative procedures and approvals, and requested the National Assembly's cooperation in processing these bills.

Suwon, the chair city, plans to submit to the National Assembly in early next month legislative proposals initiated by National Assembly members from the 12 cities. The proposal would amend the law to allow the central government to directly delegate authority to mayors of metropolitan cities with populations exceeding 500,000, bypassing provincial governors.

The main administrative matters being amended include the establishment of Vice Mayor for Political Affairs (special appointment positions) and Deputy District Office Directors in regular districts, changes in the management and disposition of state-owned property and attribution ratios, tax code adjustments between provinces and metropolitan cities, and agricultural land conversion permits and consultations.

Through service contracts and case analysis regarding the scope of special provisions recognition, the council categorized the laws to be amended by eight National Assembly standing committees: ▲27 bills for the Construction and Transportation Committee ▲22 bills for the Administration and Self-Governance Committee ▲13 bills for the Agriculture, Livestock, Forestry and Fisheries Committee ▲11 bills for the Environment and Labor Committee ▲8 bills for the Industry and Resources Committee ▲5 bills for the Health and Welfare Committee ▲2 bills for the Culture and Tourism Committee ▲1 bill for the Finance and Economy Committee.