Yeom Tae-young, chair of the Democratic Party of Korea's Committee on Better Local Governments, said on the 23rd that the party had reviewed the early operations and campaign pledge progress of 12 metropolitan-level local governments led by Democratic Party officials, marking 100 days since the June 3 local elections. Based on the findings, Yeom said he would convey each region's performance, items requiring further verification and areas needing improvement, and would continue to manage and monitor progress through ongoing communication.
The review, conducted by the Committee on Better Local Governments, was a follow-up measure ordered by party leader Kim Min-seok to mark the 100-day milestone, with a focus on strengthening accountability at local governments where Democratic Party candidates won office.
The review applied six common criteria: policy direction and alignment with national agenda items; pledge implementation plans and progress; budget and fiscal management; administrative stability in personnel and organization; public ethics and use of public resources by local government heads; and communication with residents and party members. Findings were then sorted into three categories — implementation confirmed (either directly pursued or carried over from existing projects), requiring continued verification, and needing improvement — and the committee selected confirmed achievements, key review items and requested corrective actions.
Among the confirmed achievements, Yeom cited the completion of home environment improvement work at 30 vulnerable households under Incheon's "Environmental Health Safe Home" program (an existing project), the Sept. 1 resumption of Daejeon's local currency/point service "Ontong Daejeon 2.0" (a directly pursued project), and the completion of expansion work at Jeju's eastern sewage treatment plant (an existing project).
Key review items included the early termination of Gyeonggi Province's resident petition system and the hiding of subsequent petitions (needing improvement), and the delayed launch of a conflict mediation body for Jeju's second airport (needing improvement).
Requested corrective actions included an explanation of Gyeonggi Province's petition processing standards (needing improvement), measures addressing Gyeonggi Province's elderly care and school meal budgets and postpartum care subsidies (needing improvement), and verification of the handling of Daejeon's articulated bus and festival contract settlements (requiring continued verification).
"We must first examine whether the local governments elected with nominations from the Democratic Party and its members are properly keeping their promises to residents," Yeom said. "We will share policies that have helped residents' lives with other regions, and ensure that shortcomings lead to concrete improvements." He added, "We will receive explanations and improvement plans from each local government and continue to manage and monitor what has actually changed."
