[Interview] Jung Won-oh, Seongdong-gu Mayor: "It's Time to Respond to the Dedication and Contribution of K-Quarantine's Unsung Heroes, Essential Workers"

Nation's First 'Essential Workers Protection and Support Ordinance' Highlights the Lives and Support Needs of Essential Workers... Ongoing Survey on Essential Workers' Conditions, Policy Implementation Planned After Committee Review and Decision... Legislative Proposals Submitted to Interested Lawmakers for System Improvement Through National Assembly Legislation

[Asia Economy Reporter Jong-il Park] "Seongdong-gu is taking the first step to provide special respect and support for essential workers who are indispensable to our society."

Jung Won-oh, Mayor of Seongdong-gu, explained the purpose of the "Ordinance on the Protection and Support of Essential Workers," the first of its kind nationwide. Mayor Jung said, "After the COVID-19 pandemic, we realized the importance of essential workers and began to consider their needs. While foreign countries have already taken action under terms like 'essential worker' or 'key worker,' the concept has been unfamiliar in Korea until now."

Accordingly, Seongdong-gu led the way in enacting the ordinance by collecting and analyzing foreign cases and other data. The ordinance, promulgated on the 10th, is significant as the first nationwide case to raise the issue of who the workers are that maintain our daily lives and social functions during the COVID-19 period, and the urgent need for support and protection measures for them. The National Federation of Service Industry Labor Unions also issued a welcoming statement, calling the Seongdong-gu ordinance "a meaningful exemplary case as the first to name essential workers."

The ordinance defines essential workers as those engaged in face-to-face work in industries such as medical care, caregiving, childcare, logistics, and transportation, who must continue their duties even during disasters to maintain social functions and protect the lives, safety, and property of the public. Mayor Jung explained, "Supporting essential workers requires a division of roles among basic, metropolitan, and central governments. The basic government should be responsible for workers in childcare, caregiving, village buses, and cleaning; metropolitan governments for city buses and large hospitals; and the central government for logistics and other key industries."

Currently, Seongdong-gu has begun a departmental survey to establish a comprehensive support plan for essential workers as stipulated by the ordinance. They are identifying the types of essential industry workers, workplace and worker status, monthly salary levels, and working conditions. The Seongdong-gu Essential Workers Support Committee will also be formed. Based on these results, the district plans to support campaigns to improve awareness, prioritize the provision of safety equipment during disasters, provide safety education, psychological counseling, and health management, and is also considering hazard pay. Mayor Jung said, "Seongdong-gu's efforts are just the beginning of creating a society where essential workers can work with pride and dignity, and the interest and support of metropolitan governments, the central government, and all citizens are needed."