Hwacheon County in Gangwon Province will live stream its major work report meetings on YouTube, allowing residents to directly observe key issues, policy progress, and the administrative decision-making process.
According to Hwacheon County, starting with the September monthly work report held at 9 a.m. on the 3rd, all major work reports will be broadcast live on the county's YouTube channel.
This initiative aims to enhance administrative transparency and expand residents' right to know. It seeks to go beyond merely announcing policy outcomes by also revealing how major projects are reported and monitored.
As a result, residents can now view the work reports in real-time via their mobile phones or PCs without needing to visit the county office. They will be able to follow the progress of key issues and see how the county mayor and senior officials discuss and assess projects.
The trend of publicly sharing work reports and executive meetings has been gaining traction among central and local governments. Following central ministries, local governments such as Busan and Jeonbuk have also begun to broadcast or live stream their executive meetings and major work sessions online.
Hwacheon County's move is noteworthy as it applies this trend of open administration to the work reports of a basic local government. Notably, it is significant that the county plans to continuously stream all major work reports on YouTube rather than just a one-time event.
Public access to these meetings is expected to enhance accountability and trust in the administration, as residents will be able to directly observe the policy decision-making and implementation processes. Additionally, as the work progress and report contents will be made public, it is anticipated that public officials will feel a greater sense of responsibility in preparing and explaining policies.
However, ensuring that open discussions and internal issues are not stifled due to the public nature of the meetings remains a challenge. The effectiveness of this initiative will depend on whether it evolves into a practical form of open administration that allows residents to understand the county's key issues, rather than merely showcasing meetings.
Hwacheon County Mayor Kim Se-hoon has expressed his commitment to increasing administrative transparency and making major decision-making processes available to residents since taking office in July.
Mayor Kim stated, "By making work reports public, the right to know for residents will be significantly expanded. I also expect that the mindset of public officials when preparing work reports will change markedly from before."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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