The Ministry of the Interior and Safety announced on the 24th that 73 local governments nationwide have been selected as exemplary institutions in the “2024 Comprehensive Evaluation of Active Administration in Local Governments.” Seoul’s Jung-gu and Incheon Metropolitan City were highlighted as exemplary cases for enhancing citizen safety and the local economy.
The Ministry evaluated the performance of active administration based on five criteria, including institutional improvement, implementation performance, and public perception, across 243 local governments (17 metropolitan and 226 basic-level). As a result, 73 local governments, representing the top 30%, were selected as exemplary institutions. Among these, Incheon Metropolitan City, Suwon City in Gyeonggi Province, Haenam County in Jeollanam-do, and Jung-gu in Seoul were named top institutions.
Seoul’s Jung-gu introduced the ‘Free Pass System,’ the nation’s first initiative enabling wireless remote control access to shared entrances, addressing difficulties police faced entering shared entrances during emergencies like apartment fires or crimes. This system, promoted through public-private collaboration, received high marks for securing golden time and enhancing citizen safety.
Incheon City implemented the country’s first “Half-price Parcel Delivery Support Project,” designed to reduce logistics costs for small business owners. By establishing collection centers in Incheon subway stations and using the subway for deliveries, the project improved logistics efficiency and stimulated the local economy.
Other metropolitan regions recognized as exemplary institutions include Gyeonggi-do, Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province, Chungcheongbuk-do, and Gyeongsangnam-do. At the city, county, and district level, areas such as Suwon City, Seongnam City, Haenam County, Buyeo County, Dongjak-gu, and Eunpyeong-gu were also noted for their balanced distribution across the country.
The Ministry plans to award the exemplary institutions with commendations from the President, the Prime Minister, and the Minister of the Interior and Safety, and propagate successful cases through the “Active Administration ON” website and casebook. For local governments with unsatisfactory results, private sector experts will provide consulting to suggest improvement measures.
Kim Min-jae, the Vice Minister of the Interior and Safety, said, “We hope that exemplary cases of active administration will spread across regions and bring about tangible changes that residents can feel. We will spare no support to improve the quality of administrative services based on the autonomy and responsibility of local governments.”