Kim In-ho, Chairman of Seoul Metropolitan Council, "We Will Be a Council That Listens to the Field and Protects Citizens' Daily Lives"

Launch of the 10th Late-Term Seoul Metropolitan Council Legislative Monitor

[Asia Economy Reporter Jongil Park] The Seoul Metropolitan Council (Chairman Kim In-ho) held the appointment ceremony for the ‘10th Term Second Half Seoul Metropolitan Council Legislative Monitors,’ who monitor major policies of the Seoul Metropolitan Government and Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education and provide policy ideas to improve inconveniences in citizens' daily lives, on the 23rd at 2 PM in the Seoul Metropolitan Council’s main conference room.

Chairman Kim In-ho of the Seoul Metropolitan Council and 48 members of the 10th Term Second Half Seoul Metropolitan Council Legislative Monitors attended the event.

Due to COVID-19, the Seoul Metropolitan Council minimized the number of attendees for the event and live-streamed the appointment ceremony via the Seoul Metropolitan Council’s YouTube channel for monitors who could not attend.

At this appointment ceremony, new legislative monitors received their appointment certificates, and education on the roles and activities of the legislative monitors was conducted. Additionally, awards were presented to outstanding legislative monitors from the first half of the 10th term Seoul Metropolitan Council, providing an opportunity to encourage those who contributed to legislative development.

The 10th Term Second Half Seoul Metropolitan Council Legislative Monitors were selected through public recruitment, with a final total of 235 members chosen. From September 1, 2020, to August 31, 2022, they will provide improvement suggestions and policy ideas regarding inconveniences in various regions of Seoul, fulfilling roles to advance the Seoul Metropolitan Council and city administration.

The recruitment period for the 10th Term Second Half Seoul Metropolitan Council Legislative Monitors was from July 27 to August 17, 2020 (22 days), resulting in the selection of 235 members.

Specifically, the composition includes 57% male (134 members), 43% female (101 members), with 20% each in their 30s to 50s, approximately 15% in their 20s and 60s, and about 6% in their 70s.

New legislative monitors submit opinions monthly on assigned and free topics, receive a nominal manuscript fee after review, and outstanding opinions are utilized as basic data for legislative activities and city administration.

The ‘Seoul Metropolitan Council Legislative Monitor’ is the nation’s first local council citizen governance system established in 1999. Over the past 21 years, 2,100 agents have submitted 24,000 opinions, which have been used as foundational data for policies and legislative activities of the Seoul Metropolitan Government and Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education.

Chairman Kim In-ho stated, “Over the next two years, legislative monitors will convey vivid voices from the field regarding inconveniences throughout Seoul to the council and work with the Seoul Metropolitan Council to improve citizens’ daily lives.” He added, “We will actively support legislative monitors so they can smoothly perform their role as a policy proposal channel for the council.”

He also said, “Like the 10th Term Second Half Seoul Metropolitan Council slogan, ‘A Council Protecting Citizens, Creating Seoul Together,’ we will protect citizens’ health and safety and create changes in Seoul together with the legislative monitors.”