Representative Proposal of the "Three Acts for Stabilizing the Lives and Increasing the Incomes of Island Residents"
Seo Samsuk, member of the Democratic Party of Korea.
A bill is being promoted to improve the poor living conditions of island regions under state leadership and to alleviate economic burdens such as additional parcel delivery fees.
Seo Samsuk, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea (representing Yeongam, Muan, and Sinan in South Jeolla Province), on June 23 proposed the "Three Acts for Stabilizing the Lives and Increasing the Incomes of Island Residents." These include amendments to the Act on the Improvement of Quality of Life and Promotion of Development in Agricultural and Fishing Villages, the Act on Support for Remote Islands such as Ulleungdo and Heuksando, and the Act on the Promotion of Island Development.
Current laws include provisions for improving settlement conditions on islands, but do not provide support for daily necessities or parcel and postal services, which are closely tied to the daily lives of island residents. In addition, tourism support measures to increase the incomes of island residents are insufficient, and the need for government-wide policies to revitalize island tourism has been continuously raised.
The proposed amendments require the state to actively provide administrative and financial support to expand transportation, education, housing, and welfare services on islands and to invigorate the tourism industry. To ease the burden on island residents, who pay on average five times more than inland residents for logistics services such as parcel and postal delivery, the amendments allow the state and local governments to directly subsidize all or part of these logistics costs.
The amendments also specify the grounds for the state to support the costs of vessels providing transportation and delivering daily necessities, in order to address frequent disruptions and suspensions of maritime routes to remote islands at the nation's periphery.
Taking into account the public value of remote islands, the amendments provide for support measures such as subsidies for living expenses and improvements to aging housing, in order to respond to the rapid depopulation of islands and to revitalize these regions.
Furthermore, to address the lack of national policies on island tourism, the amendments stipulate that the state must establish and implement measures to revitalize tourism in island regions. Through this, it is expected that not only will the incomes of island residents and regional infrastructure be improved, but also a renaissance in island tourism will be realized through the development of island history and cultural resources.
Seo stated, "The Three Acts for Stabilizing the Lives and Increasing the Incomes of Island Residents provide the legal basis for strengthening state support for island regions, which was a campaign pledge of President Lee Jaemyung in the last presidential election. I believe these measures will make a significant contribution to improving the living conditions of island residents and addressing the issue of island depopulation."
Seo added, "Together with the Lee Jaemyung administration, I will continue to do my best to resolve the inconveniences faced by island residents and to create islands that attract people."
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