Ministry of Unification, Ministry of the Interior and Safety, Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs, and Ministry of Personnel Management Work Report
Comprehensive National Safety System Measures Following the Itaewon Tragedy
[Asia Economy Reporter Ki-min Lee] On the morning of the 27th, President Yoon Seok-yeol received the 2023 work reports from the Ministry of Unification, Ministry of the Interior and Safety, Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs, and the Ministry of Personnel Management at the Blue House State Guest House.
In his opening remarks that day, President Yoon emphasized the importance of carrying out duties by stating, "Although the tasks of unification, interior and safety, veterans affairs, and personnel management differ slightly, they are similar in that they aim to create a national system where the dignity of the Republic of Korea is upheld, where our freedom and creativity can flourish, where the country helps its people in times of difficulty, and where citizens feel a sense of duty to serve the nation when it faces hardships."
During the work report, Minister of the Interior and Safety Lee Sang-min presented the Ministry’s 2023 policy initiatives along with a comprehensive plan for the national safety system. As a follow-up measure to the Itaewon tragedy, he explained five major strategies to reform the entire national safety management system, including measures to prevent crowd accidents from recurring.
The five major strategies announced by Minister Lee consist of strengthening new risk prediction and constant preparedness systems, transitioning to a disaster safety management system that operates effectively on-site, scientific disaster safety management based on digital platforms, enhancing resilience through practical damage support, and revitalizing safety management centered on private sector participation and collaboration.
In particular, to fundamentally prevent crowd accidents, the plan includes supplementing institutional blind spots in safety management measures for festivals and events, introducing an ICT-based automated crowd management system, and improving the efficiency of risk situation monitoring such as the 112 repeated call monitoring system, situation reporting and dissemination, as well as life-saving and emergency medical systems.
The Ministry of the Interior and Safety’s work report outlined the core policy tasks for 2023, including a country where daily life is safe, a vibrant local era, a government that works well, overcoming crises together, and a mature community.
Minister Lee pledged during the report to completely overhaul the national safety system to ensure the basic right of citizens to daily safety by preparing for various natural and social disasters.
He also mentioned plans to open a full-fledged local era and maintain a vibrant local era by strengthening regional autonomy, supporting the relocation of companies from the metropolitan area to local regions, and supporting local companies to boost regional economic vitality and balanced development.
Furthermore, through continuous government innovation and public service innovation based on digital platforms, the government aims to increase trust and efficiency, foster new growth engines such as safety and address information to overcome economic crises, and actively work to revive livelihoods by managing prices and alleviating the tax burden on citizens.
Additionally, the ministry plans to eradicate major livelihood crimes such as jeonse fraud, voice phishing, and stalking, strictly respond to various illegal activities including organized illegal acts at construction sites to enforce compliance order, and modernize the firefighting safety system by strengthening on-site and prevention-centered response systems.
Minister of Unification Kwon Young-se reported the Ministry of Unification’s 2023 seven core tasks for realizing proper inter-Korean relations and preparing for a unified future. Regarding the realization of proper inter-Korean relations, the plan includes strengthening a comprehensive approach of deterrence, restraint, and dialogue, concretizing bold initiatives, and expanding domestic and international consensus for implementation; creating breakthroughs in inter-Korean dialogue, establishing dialogue and cooperation systems between the two Koreas, and promoting normalization of inter-Korean relations; and normalizing the implementation of the North Korean Human Rights Act and promoting humanitarian cooperation to improve the human rights of North Korean residents.
Regarding preparation for a unified future, the plan includes establishing a new unification future initiative, creating a Unification Future Planning Committee, upgrading the national community unification plan, reorganizing a demand-centered support system for North Korean defectors and establishing a crisis management system for defectors, strengthening education on free democracy and holding unification cultural events to establish a proper unification and North Korea policy perspective, securing a basis for private donations to the Inter-Korean Cooperation Fund, and opening the first regional Unification+ Center to strengthen domestic and international unification capabilities and infrastructure.
Park Min-sik, Commissioner of the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs, reported plans to build an economic safety net for the honorable lives of national merit recipients, innovate veterans’ medical and welfare services, and implement a prompt and rational veterans system to achieve "world-class veterans affairs where the nation takes full responsibility." Additionally, he reported plans to realize a society that respects uniformed heroes and to cooperate with the international community based on the value of freedom.
Kim Seung-ho, Commissioner of the Ministry of Personnel Management, reported four core policy tasks for 2023 under the theme "Dedicated public servants, a government that works well," including prioritizing national interests in personnel policies, practical talent management, and fair personnel operations based on autonomy and performance.
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