Matters of overall operation of the Council including enactment of council regulations and various regulations on the operation of the council
Administration and Local Autonomy Committee
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Matters of publicity, auditing, planning & management, cultural policies, autonomous administration, tourism and sports, civil servant training, fire control and safety
Education and Social Affairs Committee
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Matters of welfare of women, environment and afforestation, health and environment, water works, city education office and environmental facilities
Industry and Construction Committee
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Matters of economy and commerce, urban transportation, construction, agricultural technology, subway construction, construction management and urban railway construction
The Gwangju Metropolitan Council
consists of 19 members including 16 locally elected officials selected from each of the 16 districts, and three members elected based on proportional representation.
The members' term is four years - The primary rights of a council member include the right to introduce a bill, right to make a motion, right to speak, right to vote on bills submitted, right to elect Council officials, right to run for Council posts, right to introduce petitions, right to request records and data, and right to call a meeting.
- A member also has duties to act as representative of his constituents and as a member of the local legislature. These duties include promoting the public good, maintaining personal moral rectitude and dignity, attending Council meetings and concentrating on duties, refraining from abusing power of office, refraining from taking certain additional posts, refraining from making certain transactions
Gwangju Metropolitan Council has one chairperson and two vice chairpersons
- They are elected from among the members by secret ballot and serve a term of two years each.
- The chairperson represents the Council, presides over the general meetings, maintains order on the floor, and supervises the Council businesses. The vice chairpersons substitute for the chairperson in the case of his/her absence.
Types of Meetings
Final decisions by the Council are made in the meeting. The types of meetings include the general meeting comprised of all Council members, and the committee meetings, which are preparatory review boards convened before decisions of the committees are made. The committees include standing committees and special committees.
- Gwangju Metropolitan Council has four standing committees for conducting reviews before decisions are reached: a Steering Committee (six members); Local Autonomy Committee (six members); Education and Social Affairs Committee (six persons); and Industry and Construction Committee (six members). There also is a Special Committee for Budget and Accounts to deal with particular issues.
What is done by the Council
The role of the Council The Council's roles are largely categorized into three functions including its status as a representative body, as a legislative body, and as an administrative inspection body. The City Council, representing the people, approves the budget, processes petitions and appeals, enacts, revises and abolishes ordinances within the scope of existing ordinances, audits and approves administrative affairs related to the executive organization, and calls for the attendance of relevant officials.
Rights of the Council
The Local Autonomy Act, Local Finance Act, and other laws on local autonomy vest in the Council various rights and provide it with tools to exercise these rights. These rights can be described as follows: the right to decide, right to monitor, right to deal with petitions, right to express opinions and right to request the submission of records and data.
Management of the Council
- The Council has a 40-day session for its General Meeting, and Special Meetings, which is convened for not more than 80 days annually altogether, each session of which will last not more than 15 days. The total number of days that the General Meeting is in session cannot exceed 120 days a year. (However, the number of days for the General Meeting may be flexible depending of the number of Special Meetings.)
- The General Meeting is convened twice each year in accordance with the relevant ordinance. (In the event the scheduled meeting day is a holiday, it will be convened the following day).
- The Special Meeting is convened when a request for convocation is made by more than one third of the members of the register or by the chief executive of the local autonomous government (A public announcement is made seven days before the convening of a session).
Process of agenda
- Notification of the agenda will be made by the chief executive of the local autonomous government or at least one-fifth of the members of the register, and the agenda submitted cannot be abolished for the reason of not being approved during the session.
- A motion or introduction of an agenda rejected is prohibited in the same session.
- The agenda is submitted to the chairperson with required conditions such as the regulations that serve as the basis, the signatures of those making the motion and approving it, the reason for making the motion and its fundamental framework, etc.
- The Standing Committee will approve the agenda following a briefing by the person making the motion, review reports, ask questions, conduct discussions and audits, decide on and introduce the motion at the subsequent General Meeting.
Announcement and Observation of the Council
Permissible Cases
The occurrence of meetings will be announced to the public and citizens can observe the meetings. However, in the event non-disclosure is required for maintenance of order and well-being of the Council or regarding matters that cannot be disclosed following a resolution by the members, observance of the Council meetings may be restricted.
Types of meetings for observation
Observation of the meetings are categorized into observation of the General Meeting and observation of the Committee meeting.
Procedures for observing the meetings
- In order to observe the General Meetings of the Council, an application must be filed at the entrance to the Main Conference Hall or the Council, a ticket must be obtained, and admission to the meeting must be made at least ten minutes prior to its start. In the event of difficulty admitting a large number of people, meeting observation through a video monitor is possible. In addition, meetings can be viewed live through the Internet; watching a videotaped session is also possible.
- To observe a Standing Committee meeting, authorization must be obtained from the Chairperson of the Standing Committee, and a ticket must be obtained from the pertinent office. As accommodation of a large number of persons is difficult, watching the session through the monitor may be substituted. A videotape of the session can be watched through the Internet three days after the meeting.
Organization of the Council
- The primary rights of a council member include the right to introduce a bill, right to make a motion, right to speak, right to vote on bills submitted, right to elect Council officials, right to run for Council posts, right to introduce petitions, right to request records and data, and right to call a meeting. 
The Council's roles are largely categorized into three functions including its status as a representative body, as a legislative body, and as an administrative inspection body. The City Council, representing the people, approves the budget, processes petitions and appeals, enacts, revises and abolishes ordinances within the scope of existing ordinances, audits and approves administrative affairs related to the executive organization, and calls for the attendance of relevant officials. 
