□ Renowned scholars and public officials of local governments across Korea and China convene to discuss solutions for regional development in the post-COVID-19 era.
□ The Local Government Officials Development Institute (LOGODI; President: Lee, In-jae) announced that it will host the “14th LOGODI-Tsinghua Seminar” with Tsinghua University*’s School of Continuing Education (SCETU) in the Nanoom Hall of LOGODI from 10:00 A.M. on November 5, 2020.
○ As the COVID-19 pandemic persists, the Seminar will be held online.
* Established in 1911, Tsinghua University is the most prestigious university in China specializing in science and technology. Being China’s number one university, many of its alumni have become notable personalities, including political leaders such as Xi Jinping, the President of the People’s Republic of China. The university has also fostered prominent scholars who serve as the driving force behind the country’s growth.
○ The LOGODI-Tsinghua Seminar has been held annually ever since a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for exchange and cooperation was signed between LOGODI and SCETU in 2008. The two countries select a common theme related to local governance and organize the annual seminar on an alternating basis.
□ This year’s seminar is composed of three sessions under the theme “Challenges and Opportunities for Sustainable Development in the Post-COVID-19 Era”: ▲ central and local government roles and governance development methods; ▲ digital economic growth and local economic resilience; and ▲ local government capacity building and exchanges and cooperation.
○ The eight key participants from China are the most prominent experts in Chinese governance, the digital field, and international exchanges. Among them are Liu Zhen, Dean of the SCETU, Meng Tianguang, Vice Dean of the School of Social Sciences of Tsinghua University, and Qin Zheng, Professor at the School of Software of Tsinghua University.
○ Participants from Korea include experts from related fields and local government officials, including Kim, Sun-eun, the Chairperson of the Presidential Committee on Autonomy and Decentralization; Kim, Hye-young, the Vice President of National Information Society Agency (NIA); Cho, Chung-sik, Deputy Mayor of Suwon City; and Seo, Ju-hyun, the Head of the Digital Government Policy Division in the Digital Government Bureau of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety.
□ This year, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the roles of local governments have become more significant than ever before. In this regard, the seminar will provide an opportunity for the two countries to share their best practices and seek new cooperation strategies.
□ We are expecting fruitful debates during this seminar thanks to the participation of experts from each relevant field and public officials who are directly implementing policies.
□ Lee, Jae-young, the Vice Minister of the Interior and Safety, said, “In times like today, when the world is faced with severe crisis and numerous challenges due to COVID-19, I hope this seminar can provide the opportunity to share each country’s policies and actively discuss matters such as the role of governments after the pandemic, digital economic growth, and local economic resilience.”