Dobong District Introduces Ombudsman to Protect Residents' Rights

Published 23 Apr.2020 06:38(KST)

Among 31 Ombudsman Complaints, 22 Closed, 7 Under Review, 1 Correction Recommended, 1 Opinion Expressed

Dobong-gu Ombudsman Committee Appointment Ceremony

[Asia Economy Reporter Jong-il Park] Dobong-gu (Mayor Dong-jin Lee) has introduced the Ombudsman system to protect the rights and interests of its residents.

The Ombudsman system is designed to protect residents' rights and interests that have been infringed upon due to illegal or unfair administrative actions. Through this system, long-standing complaints involving multiple parties and deep conflicts among stakeholders that have not been resolved for extended periods are objectively and fairly addressed from the residents' perspective.

To this end, the district enacted the Ordinance on the Composition and Operation of the Dobong-gu Ombudsman in Seoul on July 11 last year. Additionally, to ensure systematic operation of the Ombudsman system, the district is currently promoting the establishment of enforcement rules for the Ordinance on the Composition and Operation of the Dobong-gu Ombudsman in Seoul.

The Ombudsman committee consists of four experts, including architects, administrative specialists, and lawyers, to seek fair solutions to grievances and complaints.

Since starting the operation of the Ombudsman in January this year, the district held the first regular meeting of the Dobong-gu Ombudsman on April 1, where they shared opinions on the handling and progress of grievances and discussed future operational plans.

During the first quarter of 2020, a total of 31 complaints were received by the Ombudsman, including 21 cases through phone and in-person consultations, and 10 long-term unresolved grievances requiring expert opinions.

Of the 31 complaints, 22 have been answered and closed, while 7 are under further review. Additionally, one complaint involving conflict due to exclusion from project funding for welfare facilities managed by a district-commissioned agency was addressed by recommending corrective action to the relevant department to ensure funding support.

In particular, for multiple long-standing complaints related to housing construction sites, Ombudsman members personally visited the sites and attended five joint public-private meetings, taking immediate action on residents' safety issues and compensation for damages, and actively expressed opinions to facilitate agreements aimed at restoring residents' trust.

Dobong-gu Ombudsman committee members are visiting a residential construction complaint site.

Currently, the district receives grievance complaints through various channels such as the district website, visits, fax, and mail at a dedicated office located on the 10th floor of the Dobong-gu Office via the Ombudsman system.

Mayor Dong-jin Lee of Dobong-gu stated, “We expect the Ombudsman system to greatly contribute to the development of local autonomy where residents are the main agents by enhancing administrative transparency and protecting residents' rights and interests.”