Seoul Metropolitan Council People Power Party - Establishing a Healthy Balanced Relationship with Seoul City

People Power Party of Seoul Metropolitan Council holds 4th Party-Government Council meeting with Seoul City on the 8th to discuss key agenda items for the February extraordinary session and current issues

Promises cooperation with the city to resolve Seoul's pressing issues such as public transportation financial difficulties

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Choi Ho-jung, the leader of the People Power Party in the Seoul Metropolitan Council, pledged to maintain a sound balanced relationship and cooperate with the city regarding current issues including key agenda items for the February extraordinary session at the first party-government council meeting with Seoul City in 2023.

The People Power Party of the Seoul Metropolitan Council held the 4th party-government council meeting with Seoul City on the 8th to discuss major issues of Seoul City this year, including agenda items to be submitted to the February extraordinary session. Attending the council meeting were Choi Ho-jung, floor leader of the People Power Party, Kim Gil-young, chief deputy floor leader, Heo Hoon, deputy floor leader for political affairs, Park Sang-hyuk, policy committee chairman, Moon Seong-ho, deputy policy committee chairman, Chae Su-ji, deputy policy committee chairman, Seo Ho-yeon, regional deputy leader, Lee Byung-yoon, regional deputy leader, Kim Tae-soo, regional deputy leader, Ok Jae-eun, spokesperson, Kim Jong-gil, spokesperson, and Ko Kwang-min, operations deputy leader. From Seoul City, Oh Shin-hwan, deputy mayor for political affairs, and heads of various departments reported.

Seoul City introduced key current issues including the implementation strategy for creative administration in the 8th term of the elected mayor, cold wave response and livelihood safety measures for vulnerable groups, fare increase proposals to resolve public transportation financial difficulties, enactment of related ordinances by the Task Force for Accompanying the Vulnerable, plans to create Seoul-style kids cafes, and key agenda items to be submitted to the February extraordinary session.

People Power Party council members expressed expectations for the full-scale implementation of the 8th term policies such as accompanying the vulnerable, reviewing unnecessary projects, and promoting creative administration starting this year, and demanded more differentiated administration that meets citizens' expectations.

They also called for continuous efforts to reform Seoul City’s subsidy support system that favors certain groups, demanded Seoul City’s efforts in response to the government’s housing stability policy which excluded Seoul, and urged the preparation of self-help measures such as revitalizing reconstruction and redevelopment. Attention was also requested on issues of population decline and regional contraction.

Regarding Seoul City’s public transportation fare increase proposal, Floor Leader Choi Ho-jung expressed the intention to actively demand government compensation for losses through the “Resolution to Urge National Subsidies for Losses from Free Rides on Urban Railways,” which was proposed in the name of all People Power Party council members. He emphasized that the fare increase is a policy that places a heavy burden on the low-income economy following last year’s taxi fare increase and the government’s heating cost hike, and that solutions should be devised to minimize citizens’ hardships.

Leader Choi said, “Since the local elections last year, with the election of Mayor Oh Se-hoon and the People Power Party becoming the majority in the Seoul Metropolitan Council, a major turning point for change in Seoul City administration has been established. If last year was a year to break away from the bias and practices continued by the previous mayor and the Democratic Party majority council, this year should be the first year for Seoul City to properly implement the 8th term policies, and the council also aims to strengthen its role as a decision-making body.”

Leader Choi added, “Starting with the February extraordinary session, under the shared goal of Seoul City development and citizen happiness, the People Power Party of the Seoul Metropolitan Council will build a sound balanced relationship and cooperate with Seoul City throughout the year.”