Song Aryang, Seoul City Council Member, Receives '2020 Korea Local Autonomy Evaluation Legislative Award'

[Asia Economy Reporter Jong-il Park] Seoul Metropolitan Council member Song Aryang (The Democratic Party, Dobong 4) received the Grand Prize in the Metropolitan Council category at the ‘2020 Korea Local Autonomy Evaluation Legislative Award’ hosted by the Yeouido Policy Research Institute.

The Yeouido Policy Research Institute selected 14 ‘Outstanding Metropolitan Council Members for the Activation of Local Autonomy System and Resident Happiness Policy Planning’ on December 3 through a three-stage evaluation process based on criteria such as ▲increasing resident welfare ▲improving quality of life ▲encouraging competitive regional development policies: first statistical score evaluation, second quantitative data review, and third eligibility screening.

The award ceremony, originally scheduled for the 11th, was tentatively canceled due to the COVID-19 situation.

Council member Song Aryang was recognized for significantly contributing to the expansion of transportation welfare for Seoul citizens while serving as a member of the Seoul Metropolitan Council’s Transportation Committee. She has led efforts to improve transportation convenience by advocating for the installation of mobility convenience facilities and safety accident prevention measures for transportation-vulnerable groups such as the disabled and elderly, demanding the construction of urban rail networks including light rail to enhance public transportation accessibility, and resolving complaints related to the establishment of new city bus routes, route adjustments, and increased bus frequency.

Her empathetic legislative activities that consider socially vulnerable groups and youth have also received high praise. While serving as the vice-chair of the 10th Seoul Metropolitan Council Youth Policy Special Committee, she proposed discounted public transportation fares for unemployed youth, urged the introduction of early bird buses for early morning workers, investigated and audited inadequate personnel recruitment systems within Seoul city institutions (such as Jangchung Gymnasium and Seoul Sports Council), and advocated for improved treatment of special employment workers who were previously unprotected in legal blind spots, thereby promoting youth policies based on fairness and consideration.

Council member Song also contributed to expanding support for socially vulnerable groups through the enactment and revision of ordinances such as the Seoul Metropolitan City Ordinance for the Protection and Promotion of Workers’ Rights and the Seoul Metropolitan City Ordinance for Supporting Recyclable Collection and Management Workers.

The partial amendment to the Seoul Metropolitan City Ordinance for the Protection and Promotion of Workers’ Rights includes special labor workers such as private tutors, insurance planners, golf caddies, delivery drivers, quick service workers, and substitute drivers as workers alongside employees under the Labor Standards Act. It also adds the improvement of working conditions and rights promotion for special-type labor workers as part of the establishment and implementation of basic labor policy plans, thereby laying the administrative and institutional groundwork for Seoul City’s support for labor environment improvement and welfare.

The partial amendment to the Seoul Metropolitan City Ordinance for Supporting Recyclable Collection and Management Workers stipulates through the ordinance that more than half of recyclable collection and management workers are vulnerable groups such as seniors aged 65 and over, basic livelihood security recipients, and lower-income classes. It mandates conducting surveys on these workers and prioritizing the selection of vulnerable groups such as the elderly and disabled when appointing collection and management workers, thereby practicing social job sharing and coexistence and contributing to enhancing the self-reliance and quality of life of low-income groups.

Council member Song Aryang said in her acceptance speech, “The principle of my legislative activities is that no one should experience inconvenience or injustice,” adding, “Just as companies prioritize customers’ needs, I will do my best to devote myself to legislative activities to meet the expectations and demands of citizens.”

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