Citizens' Grievances... 'Yangsan-si Ombudsman' Resolves Them

Complaints and Inconveniences: Thinking, Diagnosing, and Improving Administration from the Citizens' Perspective

The 3rd term Yangsan City Ombudsman officially began operations on December 5th.

The 3rd term Yangsan City Ombudsman officially began operations on December 5. Photo by Yangsan City

Yangsan City Ombudsman is the only one established and operated in Gyeongnam Province, serving as a civil complaint investigator who resolves difficulties citizens face in daily life and protects their rights and interests.

The newly appointed ombudsmen consist of six members, including full-time and part-time ombudsmen, with a term of four years.

The full-time ombudsman appointed on this day is Han Sang-cheol, former Yangsan Police Chief, who has rich administrative experience in local security and current issues. The part-time ombudsmen include Kim Yong-gi, former Director of Yangsan City Environment and Greenery Bureau; Park Moon-ho, former investigator at the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission; Park Joo-hyuk, advisory committee member of the Citizens' Relief Association; Park Yoon-myung, professor at Dongwon Science and Technology University; and Song Ha-seop, former principal of Haneol High School.

This ombudsman system has strengthened the qualifications and roles of ombudsmen by partially revising related ordinances based on the "Act on the Prevention of Corruption and the Establishment and Operation of the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission." The mayor appoints the ombudsmen with the consent of the city council, enhancing job security and guaranteeing independence to operate as a more fair and citizen-oriented organization.

In particular, Yangsan City has established a dedicated channel for resolving citizens' grievances, with a full-time ombudsman working to address complaints on an ongoing basis. In the future, the ombudsman will visit town and township community centers in rotation and directly visit facilities and organizations within the jurisdiction to listen to citizens' voices on-site and propose solutions.

Yangsan City Ombudsman is expected to resolve citizens' grievances at the forefront, especially those suffering from illegal, unfair, or passive administrative actions and unreasonable administrative systems.

Han Sang-cheol, the chief ombudsman, stated, “Yangsan City Ombudsman will make every effort to advance the activities of the ombudsman by actively resolving citizens' grievances and addressing the difficulties residents face in their daily lives.”

Mayor Na Dong-yeon also said, “Yangsan City Ombudsman should serve as a communication channel with citizens and a link between administration and citizens based on fairness, transparency, and reliability. Please carefully review and resolve citizens' difficulties and further strengthen their rights and interests based on the diverse experiences accumulated so far.”

The Yangsan City Ombudsman office is located on the 4th floor of the main building of Yangsan City Hall. Citizens wishing to consult on grievances can visit during working hours (Monday to Thursday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., lunch break from 12 to 1 p.m.) for consultation. Applications for grievances can also be submitted at any time via mail, fax, or the Yangsan City website (General Civil Complaints - Report Center - Ombudsman Report Center).