Suwon Mayor Lee Jae-jun: "Special Act for Special Cities Must Establish Administrative System Befitting Special Cities"

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Jung Jun-seong] Suwon Special City Mayor Lee Jae-jun emphasized that "through the enactment of a Special Act for Special Cities, we must establish an administrative system befitting special cities that can eliminate the reverse discrimination that special cities face."

At the 'National Assembly Policy Forum for Special Act for Special Cities' held on the 22nd at the National Assembly Building, co-hosted by the Korea Special Cities Mayors Association and the National Council of Urban Research Institutes, Mayor Lee stated, "As a result of your ten years of efforts, four special cities were launched in January of last year, but there are still hardly any powers befitting the name 'special cities,'" and pointed out, "There are no fiscal special measures, and administrative special measures are merely 'special in name only.'"

He further stated, "The four special cities must unite and secure the authority of special cities," adding, "Special cities should not be only for special cities, but should become special cities that share prosperity with regions facing decline and contribute to national development."

The forum was attended by Suwon Special City Mayor Lee Jae-jun, mayors of four special cities (Yongin, Goyang, and Changwon), members of the National Assembly, and city council members.

The forum proceeded with opening remarks from the four special city mayors, a keynote presentation from the National Council of Urban Research Institutes, and panel discussions. Former Local Autonomy Committee Chairman Kim Soon-eun served as moderator.

Hyun Seung-hyun, Director of the Autonomous Administration Research Division at the Yongin Urban Research Institute, who presented on the topic "Necessity and Draft Bill of Special Act for Support of Special Cities," stated, "Legal grounds must be established to create a substantive operational foundation for special cities," and added, "To realize local autonomy and secure special authority, the enactment of a 'Special Act for Support of Special Cities' is necessary."

As design directions for the Special Act for Support of Special Cities, the following were proposed: △Clarification of purpose and target △Securing comprehensive special authority △Granting administrative and fiscal special measures.