Members to take part in community assemblies, local planning and neighborhood projects
Eunpyeong-gu in Seoul announced Tuesday that it is recruiting new members for its 2027 residents' autonomous councils — neighborhood representative bodies that gather public input and drive community projects.
The councils serve as the primary resident-led bodies at the dong level, working to address local issues and advance community initiatives. Members organize residents' assemblies to decide on neighborhood projects and take part in drafting autonomous plans, managing budgets and overseeing the implementation of selected initiatives.
Newly appointed members will serve two-year unpaid honorary terms from Jan. 1, 2027, through Dec. 31, 2028.
Applicants must be registered residents of the relevant dong as of the announcement date, or foreign nationals listed in the foreign registration records who reside in the dong. All applicants must have completed at least six hours of training at a residents' autonomy school.
Final members will be selected through a public lottery held by dong and are expected to be formally appointed in December.
The district launched residents' autonomous councils in all 16 dong in September. Earlier this year, the councils gathered community input through neighborhood tours and public forums to develop autonomous plans and identify projects needed in each area.
"The residents' autonomous council is the heart of community self-governance — a place where residents' voices come together to decide and act on what the neighborhood needs," District Mayor Kim Mi-kyung said. "We hope all residents will take an interest and actively participate so that we can shape the changes our neighborhoods need."
ikson@heraldcorp.com
