The Ministry of the Interior launched the 7th Korea-China Civil Affairs Local Administration Seminar in Hangzhou, China on Dec. 14.
The seminar was attended by officials from the Ministry of the Interior specializing in local administration, and officials from the Chinese Ministry of Civil Affairs, the Ministry of Agriculture, as well as representatives from Zhejiang Province and Hangzhou City.
Korean and Chinese officials discuss ways to reform local administration at the 7th Korea-China Civil Affairs Local Administration Seminar held in Hangzhou, China on Dec. 14.
The seminar was divided into three different sessions.
During the first session, which focused on providing support for non-profit private organizations, the Ministry of the Interior presented methods of offering support to such organizations, and highlighted the pro bono activities of various local organizations. In response, the Zhejiang Province government office provided feedback on its management of non-profit organizations at the local level.
Session two centered around creating a platform for public services offered to the local community. During the session, the Ministry of the Interior shared its plans for revamping the organization of the public welfare system, while the Chinese Ministry of Health announced its plans to create an administrative platform for its local services.
Finally, session three dealt with regional information policy. During this session, Korea presented case studies on e-government systems, as well as information on how central and local governments manage multi-level cooperation. The Shanghai City government office discussed their plans to expand their IT labor force.
Through the seminar, the two countries were able to share their experiences in areas such as social welfare, governance, and management at the local level. It is hoped that this kind of exchange will help guide policy making and strengthen ties between the two countries.
Government representatives from Korea and China pose for a group photo at the 7th Korea-China Civil Affairs Local Administration Seminar held in Hangzhou, China on Dec. 14.
This year’s seminar was organized to increase cooperation and exchange between the Korean Ministry of the Interior and the Chinese Ministry of Civil Affairs. Following the agreement made in 2007 in celebration of 15 years of diplomatic ties between Korea and China, the countries launched the first Korea-China Civil Affairs Local Administration Seminar in 2009.
“It’s important that Korea and China continue to cooperate at the regional level to support some 500 ongoing projects between our provinces. We should also continue to cooperate on cultural exchanges,” said a representative at the Chinese Ministry of Civil Affairs.
An officer at the Ministry of the Interior said, “Moving forward, it’s crucial for local governments to cooperate with their international partners and build lasting networks, in order to compete at the local level. We look forward to establishing stronger ties with our Chinese partners at local administration seminars in the years ahead.”
By Wi Tack-whan, Lee Hana
Korea.net Staff Writers
Photos: Ministry of the Interior
hlee10@korea.kr
