Integrated Council's Slow Meeting Minutes Release Hinders Public Access

The integrated council for the merged Jeonnam and Gwangju metropolitan city is drawing criticism for its sluggish release of meeting minutes, impacting citizens' access to information. While the council discusses critical issues such as the development of a semiconductor complex, the minutes from its recent temporary sessions are significantly delayed.

During the second temporary session, which ran from July 13 to 22, various committees held multiple meetings. However, as of July 28, minutes from most of these meetings were still unavailable online. Some minutes were released on July 27 and 28, but a substantial number remained pending, with some committee meetings from July 14 still lacking publicly accessible records over two weeks later.

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The integrated council must prioritize citizens' right to information and ensure adequate staffing to handle the increased workload effectively.

This delay contrasts sharply with the speed of some local councils, such as Mokpo City Council and Hwasun County Council, which release their temporary minutes within a day or two of meetings. The integrated council's administration attributes the backlog to a nearly doubled workload following the merger, with increased committees, departments, and ordinances to manage, all while the number of stenographers remains unchanged. Previously, minutes were typically released within 10 days.

Transparency advocates emphasize the importance of timely minute releases, especially when significant public matters are being decided. They argue that the council must prioritize citizens' right to information and ensure adequate staffing to handle the increased workload effectively, rather than letting administrative burdens impede public access.

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The merger has significantly increased the workload, with more committees, departments, and ordinances, leading to a huge increase in meetings.