Chairman Choi Hojung Begins Greetings with Staff After Inauguration... Attends Seoul Arena Groundbreaking Ceremony... Visits Care Sites... Busy Week Including Greetings with Assemblywoman Joeunhee
Choi Hojung, Chairperson of the Seoul Metropolitan Council (left), visited the Secretariat staff on the first day of his inauguration on the 1st to listen to their difficulties and engage in communication.
Choi Ho-jung, Chairperson of the Seoul Metropolitan Council, officially took office on the 1st of this month and began her first schedule by personally meeting with over 420 staff members of the Council Secretariat, reassuring them by saying, “I will create a council that you can be proud of and want to work at.”
She carefully checked whether the office environment was comfortable and if there were any areas needing improvement, warmly greeting each employee by name.
First, Chairperson Choi visited the Standing Committee Specialist Offices at the Seosomun Council Building and said, “I take full responsibility. Please write your review reports with conviction and show the image of a well-performing council.”
Especially, she greeted the staff working in the mechanical and electrical rooms located underground due to the nature of their work and expressed her intention to consider improving their work environment.
Chairperson Choi received applause when she said, “If the staff work enthusiastically, the council thrives, and when the council thrives, it will ultimately have a positive impact on the citizens. I will do my best to understand the difficulties of the staff and support the creation of a better workplace.”
One employee who greeted Chairperson Choi said, “Since the Chairperson called each employee by name, I feel a greater sense of responsibility,” adding, “I will work hard in my assigned position to make sure the Seoul Metropolitan Council shines.”
She also met with Mayor Oh Se-hoon and Superintendent of Education Cho Hee-yeon, stating that she will not only monitor and check but also set an example of cooperative governance.
On the 2nd, Chairperson Choi attended and gave a congratulatory speech at the groundbreaking ceremony for the ‘Seoul Arena Complex Cultural Facility Private Investment Project’ held at the planned site for Seoul Arena (1-23 Chang-dong, Dobong-gu, Seoul).
Seoul Arena was established as a project implementation corporation called ‘Seoul Arena Co., Ltd.’ by Kakao in June 2022, and construction began last November. The groundbreaking ceremony was originally planned for December of the same year but was postponed due to internal circumstances at Kakao.
On the 3rd, Chairperson Choi’s first field visit was to Neulbom School at Gocheok Elementary School in Guro-gu. This visit was arranged to inspect the operation status of Neulbom School, which is set to be fully implemented in all elementary schools starting in September.
Seosang-yeol, the city council member representing this area (Guro District 1st Constituency), and Superintendent of Education Cho Hee-yeon also attended the field visit, observing the Neulbom School educational program together and holding a meeting with related personnel.
Chairperson Choi said, “Neulbom School, which provides integrated education and care, is expected to have various effects such as overcoming low birth rates, preventing career interruptions for women, and enhancing trust in public education,” adding, “I will carefully observe on-site and seek ways for council-level support.”
On that day, Chairperson Choi observed the customized educational program for first graders at Neulbom School held after regular classes and held a meeting with Neulbom School operation officials. She also observed after-school educational programs and care classrooms.
Chairperson Choi said, “Please strengthen the substance of Neulbom School so that children can feel safe and parents can trust and entrust their children to the school,” and added, “The Seoul Metropolitan Council will also continue to show interest and provide support so that Neulbom School can be well established in school settings.”
On the 4th, Chairperson Choi held a meeting with Assemblywoman Jo Eun-hee, the People Power Party’s secretary of the Administrative and Safety Committee, to propose policies for the development of local councils. Lee Seong-bae, the People Power Party’s representative member of the Seoul Metropolitan Council, also attended the meeting.
Chairperson Choi emphasized the need for active cooperation from the National Assembly to resolve local council issues and delivered the ‘Major Policy Proposals for Local Councils’ to Assemblywoman Jo Eun-hee.
The main proposals include ▲improvements to the policy support specialist (policy support officer) system and ▲the establishment of director-level positions (local government grade 2 and 3) in local councils.
Policy support officers assist local council members in their legislative activities and were introduced in 2022 following amendments to the Local Autonomy Act. However, one support officer currently assists two council members, making smooth support difficult. Additionally, since they are hired as general-term public officials, it is challenging to quickly replace them during leave or dismissal, and there are work restrictions due to the obligation of political neutrality.
On the 4th, Chairperson Choi also showed strong leadership by promulgating the Seoul Metropolitan Council’s ‘Ordinance to Repeal the Student Human Rights Ordinance’ on her own authority.
On the 8th, Chairperson Choi visited the 15th Mobile Unit of the 1st Mobile Division of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency to express gratitude for their hard work protecting citizen safety on the front lines of public security. The 15th Mobile Unit is the only unit among the 60 mobile units of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency composed entirely of female officers.
During the visit, Chairperson Choi prepared roses as a symbol of respect for those in uniform dedicated to the public good and to encourage the officers’ efforts for citizen safety, personally handing a flower to each officer.
After hearing about the female mobile unit’s work status, Chairperson Choi said, “As women’s political and social participation increases and women-led demonstrations become more frequent, the role of the female mobile unit on the ground is significant. What I want to emphasize is that your safety means the safety of the citizens,” adding, “The council will always stand with you to improve your safety and working conditions.”
At this meeting, female police officers expressed the reality of facing injury risks during demonstrations and the difficulty of waiting for long hours inside the cramped mobile unit vehicles.
The officers also calmly explained the occupational fate of having to endure verbal abuse from some people while guarding the scene, as well as the working conditions of early morning shifts and frequent deployments even on holidays.
The 15th Mobile Unit mainly handles blocking illegal demonstrations by women, protecting female demonstrators and citizens, and VIP security.
Chairperson Choi said, “The better the council and its members listen to the voices of citizens, the less the female mobile unit will need to be deployed,” adding, “I will strive to be a field council that listens carefully to citizens’ difficulties and works to resolve them.”
Chairperson Choi, who took office on the 1st, visited the police mobile unit located in Changsin-dong, Jongno-gu, as her second field visit following Neulbom School.
In this way, Chairperson Choi showed a humble approach by communicating directly with the field.
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