Suwon's 8th Civilian-Elected Resident Autonomous Councils to Undergo Significant Changes

[Suwon Ilbo = Reporter Jung Jun-seong] The Suwon Residents' Autonomous Committee Chairpersons Council held its '2nd Regular Meeting of 2022' on the 11th at the Suwon City Hall conference room and discussed ways to revitalize resident autonomy in the 8th civilian-elected term.

The meeting was attended by Suwon Mayor Lee Jae-jun, Residents' Autonomous Committee Chairpersons Council Chairman Jung Chan-hae, and autonomous council chairs and committee heads from 44 districts.

As measures to revitalize resident autonomy in the 8th term, the council discussed ▲changes to the resident participation budget project operational system ▲establishing a single system for village community resident proposal projects ▲operating a 'Village Autonomy Support Officer' (working title) to support village autonomy planning ▲promoting resident autonomy capacity-building programs.

Suwon City plans to strengthen residents' autonomy rights and implement 'grassroots village autonomy' by building a support system that enables residents to solve village problems and establish and implement village development plans on their own.

Additionally, Suwon City plans to integrate the village community project promotion system that is currently divided between the Suwon City Autonomy and Decentralization Division and the Suwon Urban Foundation Village Autonomy Support Center.

Furthermore, Suwon City plans to operate a 'Village Autonomy Support Officer' (working title) with high understanding of village autonomy to support village autonomy planning, resident autonomous council operation consulting, and village community project operation.

Suwon City enacted the 'Ordinance on the Installation and Operation of Suwon Resident Autonomous Councils and Resident Autonomy Centers' and promulgated it on December 31st of last year, promoting the conversion of resident autonomous committees to resident autonomous councils.

As of August 1st, 24 out of 44 districts have been converted to resident autonomous councils, with 20 districts in the process of conversion.

Jung Chan-hae, Chairman of the Residents' Autonomous Committee Chairpersons Council, said, "So that Suwon City's administrative and financial support for revitalizing resident autonomy can lead to village development, resident autonomous councils will lead resident participation and village transformation."

Mayor Lee Jae-jun stated, "The essence of resident autonomous councils is building a foundation toward substantive direct democracy," and added, "We are envisioning a direct democracy platform using mobile phones to enable many citizens to participate in decision-making processes online."

He further urged, "We hope that resident autonomous councils will play their role so that Suwon City can become a 'citizen-centered special city' and a 'resident autonomy special city.'"

Meanwhile, resident autonomous councils are resident autonomy organizations established in districts that serve to strengthen residents' autonomous activities. They expanded the authority of existing resident autonomous committees' resident autonomy functions to enable them to serve as substantive resident consultation bodies.