January 28, 2019. Excerpt from Opening Statement of the Party’s Supreme Council Meeting

“KCTU’s Participation in the Economic, Social, and Labor Council is a Major Step towards National Consensus”

□ Chairman of the Democratic Party of Korea Lee Hae-chan

Today, the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions is slated to hold a meeting of delegates to decide whether to participate in the Economic, Social, and Labor Council. Although the KCTU’s participation in the social organization for dialogue was once voted down, I hope this time the major umbrella labor union will be able to join the Economic, Social, and Labor Council, contributing to opening the process towards social consensus.

January 29 marks the 15th anniversary for the launching of the Balanced National Development Policies. A ceremony for the promulgation of balanced national development will be held at Sejong City in Chungcheongnam-do. As for countries with overpopulated capital areas like South Korea, pursuing balanced national development is a highly significant policy agenda. All the while there has been much concern that local provinces might cease to exist as a result of increasingly overcrowded capital areas. Against this backdrop, diverse policies need to be implemented in pursuit of balanced national development. In particular, it is of great importance to reinforce local self-governing systems by further facilitating autonomous decentralization. In this sense, the Democratic Party of Korea will be committed to pushing ahead with policies that offer equal opportunity for development in local areas. As a result of such policies, local economies will be revitalized, jobs will be created, and more local talent will be cultivated.

 "민노총, 경사노위 참여해 대타협으로 가길"

   □ 이해찬 당대표 오늘 민주노총이 경사노위 참여 여부를 결정하는 대의원대회를 할 예정이다 . 지난번 한번 무산됐는데 아무쪼록 이번에는 잘 통과돼서 대타협을 할 수 있는 경사노위가 되길 진심으로 바란다 .

  내일은 국가균형발전선포 15 주년이 되는 날이다 . 세종시에서 균형발전 선포 행사를 하게 되는데 , 우리처럼 수도권 과밀화 된 나라에서 균형발전을 추구한다는 것은 매우 중요한 정책적 과제이다 . 그동안 지방이 거의 소멸할 정도라는 얘기가 나올 정도로 수도권 과밀이 되어 있기 때문에 앞으로도 국가균형발전 차원에서 여러 정책적 과제들을 많이 해야 한다 . 특히 , 자치분권을 강화해 지방자치가 더욱 활성화 되도록 하는 것이 중요하다 . 지역경제를 활성화시키고 지역에 일자리를 만들고 , 지역에 많은 인재들이 육성될 수 있는 국가균형발전 정책을 당에서도 철저히 시행해 나가도록 하겠다 .

더불어민주당 국제국