Seo Samseok Receives MBN "Truly Commendable Assembly Member Award"

Leading Legislation to Stabilize Agricultural and Fishery Incomes
Achieving Results in Easing Daily Inconveniences for Island Residents

Seo Samseok, Member of the National Assembly.

Seo Samseok, a member of the National Assembly’s Agriculture, Food, Rural Affairs, Oceans and Fisheries Committee who represents Yeongam, Muan, and Sinan, received the “Truly Commendable Assembly Member Award” presented by MBN and the Korean National Council of Women Voters, in recognition of his contributions to resolving livelihood issues in the agricultural and fisheries sectors, promoting balanced regional development, and advancing the rights and interests of socially disadvantaged groups.

This award is reported to be the result of a comprehensive evaluation of his efforts to strengthen the policy foundation for rural communities by improving the rights and interests of farmers and fishers and securing the passage of livelihood-related bills, as well as his continued legislative activities aimed at improving living conditions for residents of island regions and safeguarding the health rights of women engaged in agriculture and fisheries.

Assemblyman Seo has consistently raised concerns about the difficulties faced in the agricultural and fisheries sectors, where producers are unable to recover even their production costs amid frequent natural disasters such as droughts and heavy rains caused by global warming, and surging raw material prices driven by changes in international conditions.

In response, during the 21st National Assembly he introduced the so-called “Four Livelihood Bills for Agriculture,” including the “Grain Management Act,” which requires the government to purchase rice when there is excess production or when prices fall below a certain level; the “Act on Distribution and Price Stabilization of Agricultural and Fishery Products”; the “Act on Countermeasures against Agricultural and Fishery Disasters”; and the “Agricultural and Fishery Disaster Insurance Act.” These bills have passed the plenary session of the National Assembly and are about to be implemented, and they are expected to provide an institutional foundation for stabilizing farmers’ and fishers’ incomes and strengthening food security.

His activities to improve living conditions in rural areas also drew attention. Assemblyman Seo held meetings with the five major non-life insurance companies and the three major telecommunications companies after raising issues such as island residents being unable to receive emergency roadside assistance under automobile insurance and the inconvenience caused by the absence of telecommunications retail stores. As a result, he secured commitments to expand emergency automobile roadside assistance services to island regions and to promote the establishment of retail outlets to provide telecommunications services in all local governments nationwide.

In addition, to strengthen the health rights of women engaged in agriculture and fisheries, he proposed an amendment to the “Act on Fostering Women Farmers and Fishers” that would separate general and special health checkups and abolish the upper age limit. He has also worked to improve systems based on on-site realities by urging the Minister of Oceans and Fisheries to conduct a thorough fact-finding survey so that the opinions of women fishers are effectively reflected in policy.

Assemblyman Seo stated, “I would like to express my deep gratitude to MBN and the Korean National Council of Women Voters officials for giving me such an undeserved award,” adding, “When I first entered the National Assembly in 2018, I pledged that ‘like salt, I would steadfastly represent the interests of ordinary working people and those in agriculture and livestock,’ and I believe this award reflects a positive evaluation of that process.”

He continued, “I believe there are far more tasks ahead that need to be addressed than what has been recognized so far,” and emphasized, “I will engrave the people’s expectations as a grave responsibility and repay them with even more diligent parliamentary service.”