Created under Heo Seok, abolished under Noh Gwan-gyu, now restored under Son Hun-mo — a veteran journalist to be appointed as special-grade press secretary
Suncheon City plans to establish a new "civic sovereignty officer" post directly under Mayor Son Hun-mo, who won the June 3 local elections, around August.
The civic sovereignty officer position was originally created in January 2021 under then-Mayor Heo Seok to expand direct democracy, but was abolished in July 2022 after Mayor Noh Gwan-gyu took office. The new administration is now reviving it.
From Monday through Thursday, Suncheon City is holding its first major work implementation plan briefing of the ninth directly elected administration, conducting a comprehensive review of campaign pledges and key projects' execution roadmaps.
The most notable addition is the civic sovereignty officer post reporting directly to the mayor, which reflects Son's intention to gather public opinion and incorporate it into city policy.
The civic sovereignty officer position — a Grade 5 administrative post — is currently vacant. Three task forces are set to join the office: a civic sovereignty TF, a civic communications TF and an organizational review TF. Rumors are circulating about a specific candidate being tapped for the role.
The office's key agenda items will include finding solutions through a public deliberation committee and citizen policy forums on major issues and points of contention — among them the next-generation public resource recovery facility (an incinerator), road restoration in the Ocheon-dong Green Island area, and a plan to bring Yeosu MBC to the city.
Son is also said to be creating a special-grade (Grade 5) press secretary position, with a journalist in their 50s who graduated from Suncheon High School expected to be appointed. An office for the press secretary is being prepared next to the chief of staff's office.
The incoming press secretary is expected to focus on external affairs and gathering public opinion — duties that civil servant Chief of Staff Jang Ji-man, 38, is not well positioned to handle directly. While the title resembles that of the existing public relations office, which handles city promotion, the two roles are expected to differ in function.
"The ninth directly elected Suncheon city administration must start from civic sovereignty — listening to the voices of citizens in the field and responding through governance," Son said.
parkds@heraldcorp.com
