Leading legislative experts from the Asian region gathered Wednesday to discuss the present and future of legislative administration at a symposium held in Seoul.

The 9th Asian Legislative Experts Symposium, organized by the Ministry of Government Legislation and Korea Legislation Research Institute, was held under the theme of “Legislative Administration of Each Asian Country and Cooperation Measures,” in a hybrid in-person and online conference.

The event comprised two main sessions: present and future of legislative administration of Korea and other Asian countries; and cooperation measures for the development of Asian countries’ legislative administration. The meeting was attended by legislative experts from six Asian countries, Vietnam, Indonesia, Cambodia, Thailand, Uzbekistan and South Korea.

In the opening remarks, Government Legislation Minister Lee Kang-seop said, “The ALES has been held every year since 2013 to discuss legislative solutions to various issues such as information and communications, urban development, transportation, safety management, administrative procedures, and prevention of infectious diseases. The symposium has provided precious opportunities for Asian countries to share their opinions on various issues.”

“Legislation is the process of making a bowl to hold national policies and making a fence around the society at large. Economic growth and social development of each country have been ensured based on legislation that is an institutional framework,” he said.

Lee hoped the legislative administration of each country and measures for legislative cooperation and exchange would be discussed at the symposium.

Kim Kye-hong, president of the Korea Legislation Research Institute, said, “Last year, we focused on legislation concerning the pandemic response and cooperation strategies in Asia in the post-coronavirus era. In the face of an unprecedented crisis, it was an opportunity to reflect on the importance of cooperation between countries in the Asian region.”

“Now is the time to respond to and overcome crises together and seek ways to achieve shared prosperity and stability through cooperation among Asian countries,” he said.

“To this end, each Asian country should prepare laws and systems that are reasonable and effective while meeting the peculiar conditions of their own countries.”

Hong Jang-pyo, president of the Korea Development Institute, said systematic modification of laws and systems that are the foundation for governing a state has significantly contributed to Korea’s economic development.

“Systematic modification of laws and systems is necessary to ensure the development of global economy and co-prosperity of an international society. The modification of laws and systems can be regarded as laying the groundwork for governing a state well,” Hong said.

Le Thanh Long, Vietnam’s minister of justice, said improving the country’s legal system to meet sustainable development goals has always been one of the top priorities and a long-term investment.

“After 35 years of renovation, the work of developing and improving Vietnam’s institutions has achieved many remarkable results,” he said.

“We look forward to and will continue to actively cooperate with Korea and other countries in the Asian region in the process of legal reform, together towards the goal of building an increasingly prosperous and developed Asia.”

During the first session titled “Present and future of legislative administration of Korea and other Asian countries,” participants presented exemplary cases of legislative administration.

Ryu Chol-ho, director of the ministry’s office for administrative legislation innovation, presented Korea’s general act on public administration. Ryu Jun-mo, director of the ministry’s legislative information division, introduced the nation’s legislative information system.

Kardwiyana Ukar, head of the bureau of government internal affairs from the Secretariat Cabinet of Indonesia, and Nguyen Hong Tuyen, director general of general affairs on legislative development from the Ministry of Justice of Vietnam, presented exemplary cases of their respective countries.