Jeju Council Member Receiving 60 Million Won Annually Complains at Budget Review Meeting... "Please Buy a Massage Chair"

"No Severance Pay, How to Plan for Retirement?" Controversy Over Qualifications

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters (Jeju) Reporter Park Chang-won] During the review of the Jeju Special Self-Governing Province Council's budget for next year, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea sparked controversy over qualifications as a metropolitan councilor by demanding the purchase of massage chairs, claiming that legislative activities are exhausting.

Yang Young-sik, a Jeju councilor (Democratic Party of Korea·Yeondong-gap), during the first meeting of the 389th 2nd regular session Council Steering Committee held on the 23rd, questioned the Jeju Council Secretariat, saying, “(Councilors) live lives without weekends and evenings, which is very pitiful. We engage in many legislative activities not only during recess but also on weekends,” and lamented, “Current councilors cannot have other jobs, their annual salary is low, and there is no severance pay.”

Councilor Yang continued to make remarks unrelated to the budget review.

He said, “Councilors receive a salary lower than that of a Grade 6 public official,” and sarcastically added, “What should be done about councilors’ old age? No matter how much they are politicians, are they always supposed to be beings who only sacrifice?”

He went on, “Recently, three councilors passed away, and some of them collapsed during legislative activities,” and said, “Because there is no councilor lounge, when they are tired, they rest their heads on desks to sleep, yet it is hard to find any awareness of this issue within the council.”

He also raised his voice, saying, “At least an environment for legislative activities should be created,” and “This issue should be taken seriously. Why must councilors always sacrifice?”

Councilor Yang emphasized, “Basic councils also share the burden, so we need to think a lot,” and “Among my fellow councilors, some are in dangerous conditions, so we should purchase about two massage chairs for male and female councilors to use alternately.”

In response, Oh Jeong-hoon, head of the Jeju Council Secretariat, said, “Compared to spaces in other metropolitan councils, I share the same sentiment with (Councilor Yang).”

Meanwhile, the Jeju Council passed the “Partial Amendment to the Ordinance on the Payment of Legislative Activity Expenses, Monthly Allowances, and Travel Expenses for Jeju Council Members” on the same day.

The amendment mainly includes a 2.8% increase in the monthly allowance for next year, from the current 39,717,000 KRW (annual) to 40,829,000 KRW.

Next year, the total annual compensation per Jeju councilor, including legislative activity expenses (18 million KRW) and the monthly allowance, is expected to reach 58,829,000 KRW.

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