First Central-Local Policy Council of the 9th Administration: Cooperation on Public Safety and Economic Revitalization Measures

Central and Local Governments Discuss Key Policies and Issues on July 27
Call for Responsible Fiscal Management, Including Eradicating Fraudulent Appropriations
Request for Safety Accident Prevention and Introduction of Local Tourism Resources

The first Central-Local Policy Council meeting since the launch of the 9th popularly elected government was held, with central and local governments discussing cooperation measures to ensure public safety and revitalize local economies.

Yun Hojung, Minister of the Interior and Safety. Photo by Jo Yongjun

The Ministry of the Interior and Safety held the Central-Local Policy Council at the Government Complex Seoul on the morning of July 27, discussing major policies and current issues that central and local governments will jointly pursue under the 9th administration.

First, with the start of the 9th popularly elected administration, the central and local governments agreed to work closely as "one team" to address national agenda items and pressing regional challenges, through operations such as policy councils, personnel exchanges, and field visits.

In addition, they called for prompt allocation of local government personnel to relevant departments in order to strengthen the implementation of national and regional policies directly tied to the lives of residents, such as integrated care, suicide prevention, and disaster safety. Responsible fiscal management was also emphasized—specifically, by eradicating unfair private contracts and fraudulent grant appropriations and improving oversight systems.

On this day, the meeting focused heavily on measures to prevent water safety accidents, in anticipation of increased summer water leisure activities. The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, the Korea Coast Guard, and the National Fire Agency all participated, sharing areas for collaboration with local governments including the deployment of safety personnel, reinforcement of on-site inspections, and resolving safety blind spots. In particular, they requested focused efforts to prevent casualties by strengthening safety rule publicity through various media channels.

The government also requested thorough preparations from local governments due to the enforcement of the Labor Inspector Job Execution Act as of December last year, which delegated oversight of workplaces with fewer than 30 employees to local governments—including securing the necessary personnel and budgets. Special emphasis was placed on on-site management as exemplary employers, such as guiding compliance with safety guidelines and implementing stepwise work suspension measures to prevent heat-related illnesses among outdoor workers.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism encouraged proactive participation from local governments by introducing projects such as local tourism policy initiatives, resident-led "Tourism Saemaul Movement," and "Mega Tourism Belt."

The Ministry of Education requested active support from local governments to revitalize school field trips, which have become stagnant, including advance safety inspections of experience facilities and the use of regional tourism resources.

There was also an opportunity for local governments to directly introduce the region’s signature festivals and tourism resources likely to attract visitors during the summer vacation season. This real-time sharing of local specialties broadened the scope for nationwide promotion.

Yoon Hojung, Minister of the Interior and Safety, emphasized, "Issues such as regional extinction, people's livelihoods, and disaster safety cannot be solved separately by the central and local governments," adding, "We will create 'Local Autonomy for All,' where all residents are happy anywhere in Korea, by sharing the same philosophy and moving in the same direction through central-local cooperation."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.