Ministry of Interior and Safety, Japan's Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications hold 26th Korea-Japan Domestic Affairs Exchange Meeting; local administrative reform, social solidarity economy and local tax systems on the agenda

Vice Minister of Interior and Safety Kim Min-jae (third from right) speaks at the 25th Korea-Japan Domestic Affairs Exchange Meeting, held at Japan's Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications in Tokyo in September last year. [Ministry of Interior and Safety]
Vice Minister of Interior and Safety Kim Min-jae (third from right) speaks at the 25th Korea-Japan Domestic Affairs Exchange Meeting, held at Japan's Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications in Tokyo in September last year. [Ministry of Interior and Safety]

South Korea and Japan, both grappling with shared challenges including population decline, rural depopulation and the concentration of resources in major metropolitan areas, are convening to exchange experience and ideas on local governance and explore solutions.

The Ministry of Interior and Safety said it will co-host the 26th Korea-Japan Domestic Affairs Exchange Meeting with Japan's Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications at Government Complex Seoul from Monday through Tuesday.

The forum is a vice-minister-level consultative body between the two ministries on local administration, launched in 1991 following an agreement between the leaders of the two countries and held annually on an alternating basis. It focuses on sharing policy experience and identifying practical solutions to pressing issues facing both nations.

At this year's meeting, the two sides will concentrate on three areas of shared interest in local governance development: local administrative system reform, social solidarity economy policy and the local tax regime.

On the policy direction for local administrative system reform, South Korea will present cases involving the launch of wide-area local governments aimed at balanced national development, while Japan will introduce trends in new autonomous governance arrangements, including metropolitan systems and inter-regional cooperation among wide-area local authorities.

On the policy direction and case sharing for social solidarity economy, South Korea will outline its push to enact a framework law on the social solidarity economy and build an integrated support system, while Japan will present and discuss policy cases aimed at regional revitalization and local development.

On the agenda of building a local tax system for sustainable development among local governments, South Korea will introduce proposals to improve the local tax regime to help narrow fiscal disparities between local governments. Japan will present its hometown tax donation system and efforts to build a local tax framework for the sustainable development of both urban and rural areas, and the two sides will engage in an in-depth exchange of views on ways to advance local taxation.

"Now in its 26th year, the Korea-Japan Domestic Affairs Exchange Meeting is a leading cooperation platform that has contributed to local governance development in both countries — including South Korea's hometown love donation system, which was introduced with reference to Japan's hometown tax donation system," Vice Minister Kim Min-jae said. He added that the ministry would continue to exchange views and cooperate on shared challenges such as rural depopulation, and work to ensure that the results are felt directly by the public, "building a country where people can be happy anywhere in South Korea."


thlee@heraldcorp.com