Gyeonggi Council Chairman Nam Jong-seop elected head of national mayors and council chairmen association

Nam Jong-seop, chairman of the Gyeonggi Provincial Council, has been elected as the chairman of the Association of Mayors and Provincial Council Chairmen for the first half of its 20th term. This appointment, announced on the 6th, is significant as it's the first time in eight years since 2018 that a chairman from Gyeonggi Province has led the national body representing 16 city and provincial councils.

The election is expected to bolster cooperation among local councils nationwide, particularly in their push for the enactment of a local council law and the strengthening of their authority. As the head of Gyeonggi's provincial council, the largest in the country, Nam is poised to lead these critical initiatives.

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We will resolve the long-standing issues of local councils, including the enactment of the local council law. We will leverage Gyeonggi's capabilities and the cooperative foundation with the government and the National Assembly as a shared asset for all provincial councils nationwide. We will persistently explain and persuade until our demands lead to institutional change.

Following his election, Nam outlined three core priorities for the association's operation: enacting a local council law, enhancing solidarity among local councils nationwide, and expanding educational and policy exchanges. He emphasized his commitment to strengthening the powers and responsibilities of local councils through the association. The top priority will be establishing a legal framework for the practical independence and professionalism of local councils.

Nam stated, "We will resolve the long-standing issues of local councils, including the enactment of the local council law." He added, "We will leverage Gyeonggi's capabilities and the cooperative foundation with the government and the National Assembly as a shared asset for all provincial councils nationwide. We will persistently explain and persuade until our demands lead to institutional change." He also expressed a vision to "create a broader framework of solidarity that encompasses basic local councils nationwide, not just provincial ones," vowing to "lead the charge so that local councils across the country can raise their voices together and establish greater authority along with commensurate responsibilities."

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We will create a broader framework of solidarity that encompasses basic local councils nationwide, not just provincial ones. We will lead the charge so that local councils across the country can raise their voices together and establish greater authority along with commensurate responsibilities.