Seoul City-Democratic Party Hold First 'Budget and Policy Council' This Year... Cooperation to Overcome COVID-19

Request for Support Including Strengthening Local Government Heads' Information Request Rights on Infectious Diseases and Attracting Acute Respiratory Fever Clinics

[Asia Economy Reporter Jo In-kyung] The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced on the 22nd at 10:30 a.m. that the first Seoul Metropolitan Government-Democratic Party budget and policy consultation meeting of the year will be held in the Democratic Party leader's conference room at the National Assembly in Yeouido.

The meeting, which will last for 1 hour and 30 minutes, will be attended by Seo Jeong-hyeop, Acting Mayor and Administrative Deputy Mayor 1, Kim Hak-jin, Administrative Deputy Mayor 2, Kim Woo-young, Political Deputy Mayor, and Jo In-dong, Director of Planning and Coordination Office from the Seoul side. From the Democratic Party side, about 10 key party officials will attend, including Party Leader Lee Hae-chan, Floor Leader Kim Tae-nyeon, Supreme Council Member Park Kwang-on, Chair of the Good Local Government Committee Kim Du-gwan, Policy Committee Chair Cho Jung-sik, Finance and Economy Committee Chair Yoon Hu-deok, Budget and Accounts Committee Chair Jung Sung-ho, Budget and Accounts Committee Secretary Park Hong-geun, Spokesperson Heo Yoon-jung, and Seoul City Party Chair Ahn Kyu-baek.

The Democratic Party has been holding budget and policy consultation meetings nationwide at the central party level, led by the party leader, starting with Busan, Ulsan, and Gyeongnam on the 6th.

On this day, the consultation will proceed with the Seoul Metropolitan Government reporting on major issues and requests, followed by a discussion led by Party Leader Lee Hae-chan with participating lawmakers and Acting Mayor Seo Jeong-hyeop.

Seoul will first request effective support for major core projects that require national funding and National Assembly cooperation, especially projects directly related to citizens' lives such as safety, welfare, and environment.

Despite the sudden vacancy of the mayor's office, to ensure no gaps in preventing the spread of COVID-19 and protecting people's livelihoods, Seoul will seek the attention and cooperation of the National Assembly and government in key promotion areas such as ▲strengthening infectious disease response capabilities ▲supporting small business crisis recovery ▲fostering innovative industry clusters for the post-COVID era.

In particular, to swiftly prevent infectious diseases and block transmission, Seoul plans to request full party support to strengthen local government heads' authority to request information and to attract multiple 'respiratory specialized clinics' capable of functioning as screening clinics in Seoul in preparation for a second wave of COVID-19.

Seoul will also seek the Democratic Party's cooperation for projects requesting national funding. Major national funding requests include ▲compensation for legal fare evasion losses in urban railroads ▲replacement of aging subway trains ▲reinvestment in aging facilities of Seoul Subway Lines 1 to 8 ▲autonomous mobility projects ▲electric vehicle distribution ▲hydrogen vehicle purchase and charging station construction ▲maintenance of deteriorated sewage pipelines ▲introduction of low-floor buses ▲improvement of air quality in underground stations ▲low-emission projects for diesel vehicles ▲personnel expenses for national and public daycare centers ▲operation of Our Neighborhood Care Centers ▲basic pension payments ▲child allowances ▲discounts on Seoul Love Gift Certificates ▲operation of 119 Safe Cooperation Hospitals, among others.

Seo Jeong-hyeop, Acting Mayor of Seoul, said, "I expect the Democratic Party's active cooperation in the budget and legislative process so that Seoul, the capital of the Republic of Korea, can solve livelihood issues and create a post-COVID standard city model."

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