Seogongno Requests City Council Acceptance "Organizational Restructuring is an Administrative Matter... Must be Processed by the 10th"
The Seoul Metropolitan Government Employees' Union met with Cho Sang-ho, the leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, on the 7th of last month to explain the importance of the prompt review and approval of the organizational restructuring plan.
[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] The Seoul Metropolitan Government Employees' Union has raised its voice, urging the Seoul Metropolitan Council to magnanimously accept the organizational restructuring plan submitted by Mayor Oh Se-hoon. The Seoul Metropolitan Government and the Council are currently showing differences of opinion over the so-called 'Oh Se-hoon-style organizational restructuring plan.'
On the 7th, the union stated in a press release, "The organizational restructuring of Seoul reflects the mayor's administrative philosophy and policies, and the Council plays a supporting role. In this process, wisdom must be gathered on the basis of mutual respect to prevent conflicts," asserting this position.
The union added, "When the government changes, organizational restructuring follows, and unless there are special circumstances, the National Assembly passes the Government Organization Act to ensure that national administration is not disrupted. This is the same context," emphasizing, "Organizational restructuring is within the administrative domain, not the legislative domain."
They also stated that the prompt passage of the restructuring plan is necessary for smooth administration. The union said, "Although this organizational restructuring plan is delayed, if it passes at the plenary session on the 10th and the second half personnel schedule proceeds swiftly thereafter, confusion can be minimized. Since this is the first restructuring plan formulated after Mayor Oh's inauguration, many changes were expected, but it has been minimized by consolidating mainly some departments that had been controversial, placing emphasis on organizational stability."
The union and the Seoul Metropolitan Government hold the position that the restructuring plan must be passed at the regular session starting on the 10th. However, the Seoul Metropolitan Council, where the Democratic Party holds 101 out of 110 seats, is raising objections to this restructuring plan, which includes reorganizing bodies such as the Seoul Democracy Commission, symbolically promoted by the late Mayor Park Won-soon, contrary to the party's initial request.
Some expect that the delay in processing the Seoul Metropolitan Government's organizational restructuring plan, submitted on the 17th of last month, may push the regular personnel appointments from early July to late July. Meanwhile, the Seoul Metropolitan Council's Planning and Economy Committee began deliberations on the organizational restructuring plan submitted by the Seoul Metropolitan Government from the morning of the same day.
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