Seocho District Council Signs Agreements with Graduate Schools at Sejong, Kookmin... “Toward a Research-Oriented Council”

Job training for council members and staff; groundwork laid for master's degree programs

The Seocho District Council in Seoul, chaired by Yoo Jiwoong, has signed agreements with two graduate schools in succession, establishing an education and research partnership to strengthen council members’ and staff’s policy analysis and practical skills.

(Top) Officials from the Seocho District Council and Sejong University Graduate School of Industry pose for a commemorative photo after signing a business agreement at Sejong University on the 22nd of last month. (Bottom) Officials from the Seocho District Council and Kookmin University Graduate School of Politics pose for a commemorative photo after signing an “Academic-Government Cooperation Agreement” at the Seocho District Council on the 7th. Photo courtesy of the Seocho District Council.

The council said on October 12 that it had signed agreements with Sejong University’s Graduate School of Industry on September 22 and Kookmin University’s Graduate School of Political Science on October 7. The agreements aim to create an environment where council members can continue researching and learning in response to an increasingly complex administrative environment and the adoption of advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), and to apply that work to improve the quality of local legislation and oversight of the administration.

Under the agreement with Sejong University, the two sides will jointly research key issues facing Seocho-gu, including AI technology and the real estate industry, and run tailored job training programs such as academic conferences and workshops.

Under the agreement with Kookmin University, signed in Committee Room No. 1 at the Seocho District Council, the two sides will establish an institutional foundation for specialized master’s degree programs needed for legislative and council activities, and exchange advice on local issues and policies.

The council plans to use the agreements as a springboard to become a “research-oriented council” that goes beyond overseeing district administration and proposes alternatives. It aims to improve the quality of ordinances and budget reviews by combining practical experience in council activities with graduate schools’ theoretical and research expertise.

Chair Yoo Jiwoong said, “For local self-government to be effective amid a rapidly changing policy environment, the council must strengthen its own expertise. I hope these agreements will serve as a stepping stone toward enhancing the research and policy capabilities of council members and staff.”

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