KLRI : KOREA LEGISLATION RESEARCH INSTITUTE

  

The Korea Legislation Research Institute (KLRI), led by President Han Young-soo, held the 2024 International Forum on Local Legislation on Friday, December 6, at Post Tower. The forum, themed “Directions for Local Legislative Authority in the Era of Low Birth Rates and Population Decline,” provided a platform for discussing effective responses to challenges posed by demographic changes.

 

The event was co-hosted by KLRI, the Ministry of Government Legislation (MOLEG), the Governors Association of Korea (GAK), the Korean Association of Chairs of Provincial Councils, and the Korean Local Autonomy Law Association. It was supported by the Presidential Committee on Local Autonomy and Balanced Development and the Ministry of the Interior and Safety.

 

The opening ceremony featured remarks from key representatives, including:

Opening address by MOLEG Minister Lee Wan-kyu

Welcoming remarks by Yoo Min-bong, Secretary General of the GAK; An Seong-min, Chair of the Korean Association of Chairs of Provincial Councils; Han Young-soo, President of KLRI; and Moon Sang-duk, President of the Korean Local Autonomy Law Association

Congratulatory address by Lee Jeong-hyun, Vice Chair of the Presidential Committee on Local Autonomy and Balanced Development

KLRI President Han Young-soo highlighted the gravity of population decline, stating, “Population decline poses a critical challenge, threatening not only regional economies and finances but also the sustainability of the nation. I hope this forum serves as a meaningful venue to discuss effective measures for local autonomy development and addressing regional extinction issues.”

 

MOLEG Minister Lee Wan-kyu emphasized the importance of the forum, noting, “This forum offers an opportunity to explore applicable solutions to low birth rates and regional extinction in South Korea, drawing from international examples of local legislation.”

 

The keynote address was delivered by Hong Jung-sun, Honorary President of the Korean Local Autonomy Law Association. He stressed the need to expand ordinance-making authority for basic local governments and proposed incorporating special provisions into the Special Act on Support for Population Decline Areas to address regional extinction challenges.

 

Presentation and Discussion Highlights

The presentation sessions featured experts from Germany, Taiwan, and Japan who shared their countries' responses to population decline through local legislative measures:

 

Grace Lee, Professor at Friedrich-Alexander University, Germany

Hungyang Lin, Professor at National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, Taiwan

Yoshinobu Kitamura, Professor at Sophia University, Japan

The discussions following the presentations focused on the distribution of legislative authority between central and local governments and explored practical and specific policy directions for advancing local governance in South Korea.

 

KLRI President Han Young-soo concluded by stating, “By fostering advanced local governance, we aim to present a new paradigm for a balanced development era where all regions in South Korea are desirable places to live.”

 

Meanwhile, KLRI continues its research on legal frameworks to address regional extinction and promote balanced national development, contributing to the realization of a new era of local autonomy in South Korea.

 

Date: Friday, December 6, 2024

Venue: Post Tower