지방의회 정책역량 강화를 위한 행정법적 고찰

Abstract This study analyzes the roles of local councils as a core component of the local autonomy system and explores structural improvement measures to strengthen their policy-making capacity. In recent years, rapid changes in the environment—such as population decline, aging, and industrial restructuring—have become crucial challenges for the survival of local governments, thereby heightening the significance of local councils’ functions and responsibilities. As decision-making bodies that directly impact residents’ lives, local councils require institutional and operational reforms to effectively fulfill their roles, with particular emphasis on the activation of standing committees. The enhancement of standing committees is a prerequisite for improving the legislative capacity of local councils, for which both institutional and operational improvements must precede. Specifically, key tasks include expanding the pool of experts, enhancing the effectiveness of the policy support officer system, and employing artificial intelligence (AI) technologies to increase the efficiency of council activities. Such measures will contribute to overcoming the structural limitations of local councils and improving their ability to respond to policy challenges. Therefore, this study presents a comprehensive framework—centered on strengthening standing committee-led council activities, improving policy support systems both institutionally and operationally, and applying AI technologies for more efficient council management—that aims to advance the professionalism and policy-making capacity of local councils and ultimately contribute to the substantive realization of local autonomy.