Administrative 1st and 2nd Deputy Mayors Confirmation Hearing Held
From now on, Seoul city civil servants in charge of civil complaints will wear 'body cams' (small cameras worn on the body) or recording devices, and the city will step in to provide legal support in cases involving violence and verbal abuse from complainants. Additionally, the Seoul Metropolitan Council will become the first in the nation to allow confirmation hearings for the first and second deputy mayors appointed by the president. Along with this, from next year, Seoul's reservists will be able to take free shuttle buses to their training centers.
Seoul City announced on the 4th that it held the '14th Ordinance and Regulation Deliberation Meeting' on the 25th of last month and will promulgate 102 ordinances and 15 regulations. According to the 'Local Autonomy Act,' unless otherwise specified, ordinances take effect 20 days after promulgation. However, most ordinances set their effective dates through supplementary provisions.
The promulgation schedule for Seoul's local regulations this time includes 1 ordinance (1 amendment) on the 27th of last month, 101 ordinances (13 newly established, 87 amended, 1 abolished) and 1 regulation (newly established) on the 4th of this month, and 14 regulations (all amended) on the 19th.
◆ Civil Servants' 'Body Cam' Wearing and Legal Response Intensified = The wearing of body cams by Seoul city civil servants will be intensified. This is a measure to protect civil servants handling complaints from malicious complainants. Earlier, in April this year, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety amended the Enforcement Decree of the Civil Complaints Handling Act to allow civil servants handling complaints to use recording and audio devices. Accordingly, Seoul City has been issuing related equipment and implementing guidelines for operation since June this year, and this ordinance formalizes these measures.
The 'Partial Amendment to the Ordinance on the Protection and Support of Civil Servants in Charge of Civil Complaints' includes provisions that allow the city to provide legal support if complaints from complainants involving verbal abuse, assault, lawsuits, complaints, or claims for damages related to the equipment occur.
◆ Confirmation Hearings by the City Council for Presidential Appointees = Along with this, the Seoul Metropolitan Council will conduct confirmation hearings for high-ranking Seoul city officials. According to the 'Seoul Metropolitan Council Confirmation Hearing Ordinance' and the 'Partial Amendment to the Seoul Metropolitan Council Basic Ordinance,' the council will establish a special committee for confirmation hearings, operating a system similar to the National Assembly's confirmation hearings.
The subjects of the confirmation hearings include the first and second deputy mayors, heads of six public enterprises including Seoul Transportation Corporation, and heads of 20 funded and affiliated institutions. Additionally, to enhance the effectiveness of the hearings, provisions for recommending the withdrawal of appointments for candidates subject to confirmation hearings are included.
◆ Free Shuttle Bus for Reservists = From next year, local reservists residing in Seoul will be able to travel directly to training centers by free bus. The 'Ordinance on Support for Transportation Buses to Reservist Training Centers' includes provisions for the Seoul mayor to support the rental expenses of transportation buses to facilitate the entry of local reservists into training centers under the jurisdiction of the city (Capital Defense Command).
The support targets local reservists who are Seoul citizens and enter the training centers of the Army's 52nd Division (Seocho, Bakdal) and the 56th Division (Nogosan, Geumgok) within the city's jurisdiction.
Along with this, the 'Partial Amendment to the Ordinance on the Honor and Support of Veterans' will increase the monthly honorary allowance for national veterans from 100,000 won to 150,000 won, and the 'Partial Amendment to the Ordinance on Childbirth and Childcare Support' will include administrative and financial support for certain establishments to allow guardians accompanied by children to dine out comfortably. These will also be implemented through this promulgation.
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