Seo-gu Councilor Lim Seonghwa Receives "Gwangju Social Workers Association" Merit Award

Proposing Ordinances to Expand Welfare, Including "Child Housing Support"

Lim Seonghwa, a member of the Gwangju Seo-gu District Council, recently received the "Gwangju Metropolitan City Social Workers Association Merit Award" at the "11th Gwangju Metropolitan City Social Workers Conference 2025."

Assemblyman Lim Seonghwa recently received the "Gwangju Metropolitan City Social Workers Association Merit Award" at the "11th Gwangju Metropolitan City Social Workers Conference 2025." Photo by Assemblyman Lim Seonghwa

According to Assemblyman Lim Seonghwa on November 4, this year’s Gwangju Social Workers Conference was held to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Gwangju Social Workers Association, organized and hosted by the Gwangju Social Workers Association and the Youth Committee.

The Merit Award, presented by the Gwangju Metropolitan City Social Workers Association, recognizes individuals who have contributed to the development of local social welfare policies and on-the-ground progress.

Assemblyman Lim has been recognized for consistently engaging and collaborating with the field to advance community welfare, drawing on his professional experience in social welfare, including the Community Social Security Council.

In particular, his legislative efforts to improve the treatment and rights of social welfare workers, such as youth leaders, through the enactment of practical ordinances, were highly regarded as significant achievements.

Lim stated, "This year, I held meetings with youth organizations and institutions to gather opinions for the enactment of an ordinance to improve the treatment of youth leaders, as well as roundtable discussions with social welfare institution workers, collecting various voices from the field." He added, "In order to realize tailored welfare for everyone from children to the elderly, the status and treatment of those working tirelessly in the welfare sector must be further improved in concrete ways for the advancement of social welfare."

He continued, "Just as social welfare workers are like sunshine in shaded places, I, too, will strive to bring warmth to the darker corners of our community through my legislative work. I will always support and deeply appreciate those on the front lines of social welfare."

Assemblyman Lim previously served as Secretary-General of the Seo-gu Community Social Security Council and as Director of the Seo-gu Youth Counseling and Welfare Center. As a ninth-term Seo-gu councilor, he enacted Gwangju’s first "Youth Day Ordinance" and the "Ordinance on Supporting Autonomous Police Affairs."

He also enacted the nation’s first "Ordinance Supporting the Resolution of Child Housing Poverty," earning the Seo-gu Council’s first "2023 Local Councilor Manifesto Promise Grand Prize" and "Best Ordinance Grand Prize," as well as the "Legislative Service Award" in the first half of 2024.

Additionally, he received the "Gwangju Metropolitan Police Chief’s Commendation" (November 2024), the "Honam Voters’ Association Best Local Councilor Award" (November 2024), the "Mudeung Legislative Grand Prize" (January 2025), and the "2025 Korea Culture and Arts Grand Prize" (August 2025).

Currently, he serves as Chairman of the Council Operations Committee for the latter half of the ninth Seo-gu District Council and as a member of the Planning and General Affairs Committee, where he is actively engaged in legislative activities for the benefit of various residents, including enacting ordinances, delivering five-minute speeches, and holding stakeholder meetings to support those leading welfare expansion on the ground.