Seodaemun-gu Mayor Moon Seok-jin Emphasizes Why Public Officials Must Become 'First Movers' Opening the Future Society

Seodaemun-gu Mayor Moon Seok-jin Urges at July 7 Regular Executive Meeting to Reflect on COVID-19 Implications for Local Government Roles and Calls for Administrative Creativity from District and Officials to Read the Times and Prepare for the Future

[Asia Economy Reporter Jong-il Park] “Through the COVID-19 crisis, public officials must become the first movers who open the future society by considering what the people truly demand from local governments.”

On the 7th, Moon Seok-jin, Mayor of Seodaemun District, at the regular executive meeting held in the district office’s main conference room, urged, “Reflect on what the COVID-19 crisis implies for the future role of local governments and exercise administrative imagination on what efforts the district and public officials should make,” adding, “Please read the changes of the times and prepare for the future.”

Mayor Moon instructed, “Especially when preparing the next supplementary budget, cooperate with the council to secure the maximum budget within the legal limits for the Fourth Industrial Revolution and climate change response.”

He also cited a recent case where support for tablet PCs and laptops for students eligible for educational welfare was proposed, leading to support from Seoul City and the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, saying, “Since students are also members of the local government community, local governments must take active interest and responsibility in education,” expressing regret that “it would have been better if online lectures had been prepared a year ago.”

Regarding the “risk of COVID-19 cluster infections through entertainment facilities,” Mayor Moon expressed concern about some young people still gathering in clubs and said, “Strong regulations are necessary against reckless deviant behavior that threatens citizens’ lives and safety, and if the respective district does not take action, Seoul City should temporarily close facilities such as clubs through administrative orders.”

Mayor Moon Seok-jin stated, “This COVID-19 crisis has given many insights into how important public healthcare is, even in Western advanced countries,” and urged, “Once the current situation ends, let us implement a more advanced Seodaemun local government in terms of quarantine, hygiene, and health systems, rather than simply restoring the status quo.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.