Engaging Citizens in Policy Making (KR0052)

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Why is this commitment relevant to OGP values? Citizen participation

What is the public problem that the commitment will address? With quantitative increase in citizen participation systems and channels over the last few years, opportunities for citizen participation have increased* greatly. • Public Petition (~end of April 2020): 826,156 petitions (an average of 837 petitions per day), 136.35 million signatures • Increase in Gwanghwamoon 1st Street members: 40,000 members in 2019 → 263,000 members in December 2020 • Open Communication Forum: 11 Forums hosted in 2019 with 838 participants → 13 Forums hosted in 2020 with 2,923 participants • Citizen Forum policy proposals: a total of 3,595 policy proposals → 67 selected as government innovation tasks The importance of connecting and integrating the participation platforms of multiple ministries to ensure substantial results from expanded participation opportunities has been emphasized. Also, in a time where offline participation in the policy making process has weakened due to COVID-19, reinforcing and promoting citizen participation systems through flexible operation of on- and off-line public participation channels has gained importance.

What is the commitment? The government will improve laws and policies to support citizen participation and lay the foundation to boost citizen participation by connecting different participation platforms and strengthening the function of on- and off-line public platforms for policy discussions.

How will the commitment contribute to solve the public problem? • Connect participation channels of multiple ministries via Gwanghwamoon 1st Street, develop public suggestions into policies and provide feedback through Big data analysis. • Thoroughly prepare* for the implementation of the first amendment of the Petition Act in 60 years to ensure people’s right to petition. * Enact an Enforcement Decree, establish an online system, train relevant organizations, conduct nationwide promotions, etc. • Promote the ‘pre-notification of policies for citizens to participate in’ system which preselects major policies of different ministries for citizens to participate in, uploads them on ministry websites and the Gwanghwamoon 1st Street citizen participation platform and later discloses the results to ensure accountability. • Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, enhance participation by operating an on- and off-line Gwanghwamoon 1st Street, Open Communication Forum, a platform where citizens, experts and public officials discuss social issues closely related to people’s daily lives. • When policy proposals submitted to the Gwanghwamoon 1st Street citizen participation platform go through adequate public discussion, further develop the proposal with the proposer, relevant experts and responsible public officials to reflect the proposals in policies through the Government Innovation Citizen Forum and Government Innovation Committee. This process is to be disclosed on the citizen participation platform.

Exchange and Peer Learning N/A

Additional Information N/A

Milestone Activity with a Verifiable Deliverable Start Date End Date Connect different participation platforms via Gwanghwamoon 1 st Street January 1, 2021 October 31, 2021 Enact the Enforcement Decree of the Petition Act January 1, 2021 December 31, 2021 Establish an online petition system January 1, 2021 December 31, 2022 Conduct training and promotion on amendments to the Petition Act July 1, 2021 December 31, 2022 Operate a ‘pre-notification of policies for citizens to participate in’system January 1, 2021 October 31, 2023 Operate Gwanghwamoon 1st Street Open Communication Forum January 1, 2021 December 31, 2023