Gyeonggi Province Governor Kim Dong-yeon (fifth from the left) is taking a commemorative photo after appointing new ombudsmen on the 16th. Photo by Gyeonggi Provincial Government
[Asia Economy (Suwon) = Reporter Lee Young-gyu] Kim Dong-yeon, Governor of Gyeonggi Province, has newly appointed three 'Gyeonggi Province Ombudsmen,' civil complaint investigators for protecting the rights and interests of residents.
On the 16th, Gyeonggi Province announced that Governor Kim Dong-yeon appointed ▲ Kim So-young, accountant ▲ Park Chi-hyun, lawyer ▲ Myung Kwang-bok, editorial committee member of Dosochulpan Sigumchi, as new ombudsmen. Additionally, Myung Kwang-bok was appointed as the secretary-general, who oversees affairs under the direction of the chief ombudsman.
The newly appointed ombudsmen were selected due to three vacancies among the 10 members of the 4th ombudsman group, who were appointed in May 2021.
Governor Kim Dong-yeon said, "The province has formed a red team among employees to point out wrongdoings, and we are trying to change the organizational culture through workshops with department heads and section chiefs," adding, "We have high expectations for the ombudsmen. Please go beyond the existing roles and functions of the ombudsmen and make good proposals."
The provincial ombudsmen perform the role of checking administration by recommending or expressing opinions to administrative agencies regarding illegal or unfair administrative dispositions or unreasonable system improvements targeting the province and its affiliated institutions.
Although appointed by the governor with the consent of the provincial council as part of Gyeonggi Province, the ombudsmen are guaranteed independence in performing their duties.
It is a collegial body composed of 10 private experts such as lawyers, professors, certified professionals, and social organizations. It is a non-standing honorary position with a two-year term, renewable once. Since its launch in 2015, the provincial ombudsmen have resolved 618 grievance complaints by 2022. In September last year, they recommended the 'Gyeonggi Province Apartment Management Regulation Amendment,' which included forming a joint representative meeting between rental and sale households in mixed housing complexes, helping to resolve resident conflicts.
This year, the province plans to activate the Gyeonggi Province Ombudsmen by increasing direct participation of residents through operating the ombudsman resident supporters and visiting ombudsmen, while securing the independence and autonomy of the ombudsmen.
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