Interior ministry opens local council academy in Daejeon

The interior ministry said Wednesday it opened a "2026 Local Council Academy" in Daejeon for local legislators nationwide, a one-day program built around four core courses on national policy, artificial intelligence and disaster response.

The academy is run by the ministry's Local Government Officials Development Institute, headed in an acting capacity by Park Dae-min. It follows a job-training sequence for newly elected council members that began with an orientation for successful candidates on June 11 and continued with regional workshops for first-term legislators from June 16 to July 13. The program is intended to strengthen cooperation between central and local government by giving council members a broad understanding of the direction of national administration, and to raise the policy capacity of local councils.

The four courses cover South Korea's strategy for balanced regional growth, AI policy and regional innovation, the national disaster management system, and leadership communication skills.

"I hope this academy helps local councils understand the direction of national administration broadly and prepare policy directions for the future of their regions," Park said.

Before the classes began, the interior minister and the chair of the National Association of Provincial and Metropolitan Council Chairs delivered congratulatory remarks supporting the launch of the local councils that took office in July.

Park said the institute would keep expanding education that raises the expertise and legislative capacity of local councils. "We will continue to expand demand-driven education that provides practical help for legislative work," he said.