Recognized for Achievements in Promoting Various Welfare Policies to Enhance Citizens' Quality of Life
Mayor Lee Kang-deok: "We Will Continue Efforts to Realize Pohang-Style Welfare Where Everyone Can Be Happy"
On the 28th, Pohang City received a Special Award in the Local Government category at the ‘1st Korea Welfare Legislative Awards’ ceremony held at the Dong-A Media Center conference hall in Seoul.
Pohang City, recipient of the Korea Welfare Legislative Award in the local government category. Photo by Pohang City
Hosted by the broadcaster Channel A and supported by the National Assembly Health and Welfare Committee and the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the Korea Welfare Legislative Awards, established for the first time this year, select awardees including members of the National Assembly and local councilors who have demonstrated outstanding legislative capabilities in the welfare sector, as well as local governments that have implemented differentiated welfare policies to improve citizens’ quality of life.
As a result of an objective evaluation by the judging committee, six local governments including Pohang City received Special Awards in the Local Government category, while four members of the National Assembly and twelve metropolitan and basic councilors were also honored.
Pohang City was recognized for its achievements in promoting various policies aimed at enhancing citizens’ quality of life and welfare. Notably, it recently opened the first ‘Housing Welfare Center’ in Gyeongbuk Province, providing tailored housing stability support for citizens, which received high praise.
The Housing Welfare Center serves as an integrated control tower for housing welfare, offering citizens customized consultations and information on government and local government policies related to housing welfare. In particular, it provides citizen-centered housing welfare services through specialized projects such as housing upgrade support for vulnerable groups and resident education.
Additionally, Pohang City is implementing the first-ever ‘3-No (無) Welfare’ in Gyeongbuk Province (free childcare at private daycare centers, free meals for kindergarten, elementary, middle, and high schools, and free school uniforms for new middle and high school students), promoting citizen-centered welfare that alleviates parents’ educational and childcare burdens.
Furthermore, since 2017, Pohang City has been actively addressing gaps in pediatric and adolescent medical care by operating a 24/7 pediatric emergency center at Pohang St. Mary’s Hospital with city support, the first of its kind nationwide.
Alongside this, the city is making active efforts to create a child-friendly environment through initiatives such as the Pohang-style women’s time-selective jobs program called Eomma Chamsondan and operating daycare centers 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to support work-family balance.
Building on this award, the city plans to further strive to realize Pohang-style welfare where all citizens can be happy and enjoy life.
Mayor Lee Kang-deok stated, “We will continue to promote Pohang-style welfare policies that encompass all generations to create a city where people want to stay and live,” adding, “Through this, we will do our best to become a model case for overcoming local extinction and achieving balanced regional development.”
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