SUWON — Nam Jong-seop, speaker of the Gyeonggi Provincial Council, called on the Democratic Party leadership and the National Assembly to step up support to ease Gyeonggi Province's fiscal difficulties.
Nam attended the Gyeonggi Province-Democratic Party budget policy meeting held on the 21st at the provincial government's northern office, where he identified securing state funding and strengthening fiscal decentralization as key tasks. He also asked participants to join efforts to enact a Local Council Act so that local councils can function as independent representative bodies.
The meeting was attended by Democratic Party leader Kim Min-seok, floor leader Han Byung-do, policy committee chairman Kwon Chil-seung, National Assembly Special Committee on Budget and Accounts chairman Lee Kwang-jae, and Gyeonggi provincial party chairman Suh Young-suk. Gyeonggi Governor Choo Mi-ae represented the province, while Nam and Ahn Kwang-ryul, the Democratic Party floor leader on the provincial council representing Siheung 1, attended for the council.
Discussions focused on measures to improve local fiscal conditions. Raising the local consumption tax rate and improving the calculation standards for general grants were among the main agenda items. Core Gyeonggi issues and state funding tasks were also on the table, including development of land returned by U.S. Forces Korea, expansion of metropolitan railways in the capital region, and the undergrounding of railways.
In his welcoming remarks, Nam explained the difficulties in the province's fiscal conditions. He said falling acquisition tax revenue and rising mandatory spending have come at the same time, increasing the burden on livelihood programs and future investment. He stressed that support from the central government and the National Assembly is needed because there are limits to what local governments can achieve on their own.
"Full-scale state funding support from the party and the National Assembly is urgently needed," Nam said. "Please also look into fiscal decentralization issues, such as raising the local consumption tax rate."
Strengthening the authority of local councils was another key request. "To build healthy local government, the role and authority of local councils must be firmly established," Nam said. "Please lend your support to enacting a Local Council Act so that we can work as independent representative bodies with autonomy over organization, budget and personnel."
Nam closed by saying he hopes the party and the National Assembly will join forces so that Gyeonggi Province can overcome its current difficulties and grow again. "The Gyeonggi Provincial Council will also closely examine fiscal conditions and livelihood issues, and will actively cooperate on tasks that the province and the National Assembly must resolve together," he said.
