Lee Nak-yeon, Leader of the Democratic Party, Visits Seongdong-gu Bus Drivers to Encourage 'Essential Workers'

Jung Won-oh, Seongdong-gu Mayor, Accompanies Representative Lee on the 3rd to Hear Opinions from 'Essential Workers' Bus Drivers

Lee Nak-yeon, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, and Jung Won-oh, mayor of Seongdong District, visited local bus companies in Seongdong District to encourage essential workers, the bus drivers, and to listen to their opinions.

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Jung Won-oh, Mayor of Seongdong-gu, visited a local bus company on the 3rd with Lee Nak-yeon, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, to encourage the 'essential worker' bus drivers and listen to their requests.

The visit by Mayor Jung Won-oh and Party Leader Lee Nak-yeon was arranged during discussions on government-level support measures for essential workers, following Seongdong-gu's nationwide first enactment and implementation of an ordinance for essential workers.

Earlier, on the 10th of last month, the district designated workers in caregiving, healthcare, and logistics sectors who face risks and perform face-to-face labor to maintain essential social functions even during disasters such as the COVID-19 pandemic as essential workers, and enacted and promulgated the 'Ordinance on Support and Protection for Essential Workers' to implement support policies for essential workers in the region.

Subsequently, President Moon Jae-in ordered the preparation of support measures for essential workers at a Cabinet meeting in the same month, and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance Hong Nam-ki announced that tailored support measures by occupation are being reviewed, bringing the 'essential workers' who play a vital role in our society into the spotlight.

Amid this, on the afternoon of the 3rd, Mayor Jung Won-oh, Party Leader Lee Nak-yeon, along with Park Hong-bae, Supreme Council Member of the Democratic Party of Korea, Oh Young-hoon, Secretary-General of the Democratic Party, Kim Young-bae, Political Affairs Secretary to the Party Leader, and Kang Sun-woo, spokesperson for the Democratic Party, visited Taejin Transport located in Seongdong-gu to observe the work environment of bus drivers.

At this occasion, Mayor Jung explained Seongdong-gu’s essential worker support policies to Party Leader Lee and his delegation, emphasizing the need for participation at the metropolitan and central government levels. He pointed out that it is difficult to support all essential workers solely through ordinances of basic local governments, and that some essential workers are special employment workers who are not covered by the Labor Standards Act, thus requiring legislative solutions to address these issues.

Additionally, Mayor Jung and the party delegation expressed gratitude for the bus drivers who serve as the 'citizens' feet' without rest even during COVID-19 and the Chuseok holiday, and listened to the difficulties and requests they experience on site.

Party Leader Lee Nak-yeon said, "Although it is late, we must start immediately to properly evaluate the hard work of essential workers," and added, "The Democratic Party will benchmark the meaningful initiative started by Mayor Jung Won-oh of Seongdong-gu and strive to expand it into a nationwide policy."

Following Seongdong-gu’s first step, voices calling for essential worker support policies beyond basic local governments to metropolitan and central government levels are growing louder, and Party Leader Lee Nak-yeon’s visit is expected to give momentum to the establishment of essential worker policies.

Mayor Jung Won-oh of Seongdong-gu said, "To respond to the special efforts of essential workers nationwide beyond Seongdong-gu, participation at the metropolitan, central government, and National Assembly levels is necessary," and added, "Today, Party Leader Lee Nak-yeon’s visit to the bus drivers has been a great encouragement. Seongdong-gu will also do its best to promote the nationwide expansion of essential worker policies."

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