The Ministry of the Interior and Safety announced on the 31st that, to mark the 9th nationwide simultaneous local elections, it will release 38 presidential records documenting the history of local autonomy in South Korea. The records will be available through the Presidential Archives Portal starting June 1.

The released materials encompass the major historical trajectory of the formation and development of the local autonomy system since the establishment of the government. The records include the enactment of the 1948 Constitution, the Local Autonomy Act which laid the legal foundation for local self-governance, and materials related to the Local Finance Act, the basis of the local fiscal management system. In addition, documents outlining the implementation plans for the 1991 local council elections and a special address by former President Kim Young-sam, which heralded the beginning of the full-fledged era of locally elected autonomous governance in 1995, are also being disclosed. These materials vividly illustrate the process of restoring local councils.

Furthermore, the policy promotion processes of successive administrations to expand decentralization can be examined. A large number of documents are being released, starting with conceptual materials on decentralization and balanced national development during former President Kim Dae-jung's administration. These include the five-year comprehensive plan for decentralization and handwritten memos from former President Roh Moo-hyun, the promotion plan for transferring central authority to local governments under former President Lee Myung-bak, and the comprehensive plan for autonomy and decentralization under former President Moon Jae-in. Through this, one can take a comprehensive look at the process in which local autonomy has evolved beyond a simple electoral system into a crucial axis of the state administration system.

In particular, photographic records capturing former presidents—from Syngman Rhee to Moon Jae-in—voting in local elections will also be disclosed. These images are expected to illustrate the election culture and the development of democracy across different eras.

As this year's local elections are being held approximately 30 years after locally elected autonomy was fully established, the release of these records is expected to serve as a significant opportunity to reflect on the meaning of local autonomy.

Minister of the Interior and Safety Yoon Ho-jung stated, "Marking the 9th nationwide simultaneous local elections, this will be an opportunity to look back with the public on the history of local autonomy, spanning from the founding Constitution to the present." He added, "We will continue to discover and release meaningful presidential records linked to major national events in the future." The ministry expects that the release of these records will help the public better understand the history of local autonomy and the significance of decentralization.