The Best Seoul Ordinance Chosen by Seoul Citizens?... 'Free School Meal Ordinance'

Seoul Metropolitan Council's 30th Anniversary: Citizens Vote 'Free School Meal Ordinance' as Seoul's Best Ordinance... Online Voting with 5,285 Participants from June 16-27 for Top 10 Ordinances... 1st Place Free School Meal Ordinance

[Asia Economy Reporter Jong-il Park] The best ordinance selected by Seoul citizens was the "Free School Meals Ordinance."

The Seoul Metropolitan Council (Chairman Kim In-ho) conducted an online citizen vote in June to select the best ordinance that changed citizens' lives. The "Free School Meals Ordinance" received 2,054 votes (14.3%) and ranked first.

The citizen vote for the "Best Ordinance That Changed Citizens' Lives" was held from June 16 to 27, with 5,285 participants casting a total of 14,325 votes over 12 days.

The vote was conducted by selecting up to three ordinances per person from 10 individual ordinances among the 30 selected ordinances of the Seoul Metropolitan Council.

Earlier, to mark the 30th anniversary of its revival, the Seoul Metropolitan Council formed an ordinance selection committee chaired by former Seoul Superintendent of Education Kwak No-hyun starting June last year. From a total of 805 ordinances enacted between 1949 and May 2020, the committee finalized the "Top 30 Ordinances of the Seoul Metropolitan Council That Changed Citizens' Lives" in March this year. The 30 ordinances included 10 individually significant ordinances and 20 grouped by fields such as jobs, housing, and youth, totaling 152 ordinances.

The top representative ordinance that changed citizens' lives was the "Seoul Metropolitan Ordinance on Support for Eco-friendly School Meals (Free School Meals Ordinance, 2,054 votes, 14.3%)," which served as the starting point for universal welfare and a foundation for improving school meal culture.

In December 2010, the Seoul Metropolitan Council enacted the "Eco-friendly School Meals Ordinance," establishing the legal basis for full free school meals. Starting with public elementary schools in 2011 and expanding to middle schools the following year, this year marks over 10 years since its introduction, with all elementary, middle, and high schools in Seoul now implementing "eco-friendly school meals" regardless of school type.

The "Free School Meals Ordinance" reflects the spirit of the times and civic consciousness, realizing students' rights to human dignity, happiness, and health. It developed school meals beyond a simple lunch into an integral part of a non-discriminatory educational curriculum.

Additionally, it marked a shift from selective welfare guaranteeing livelihood for specific groups to universal welfare enabling all citizens to live dignified lives, leading a paradigm shift in welfare.

The second most representative ordinance chosen by citizens was the "Seoul Metropolitan Ordinance on Fine Dust Reduction and Management" (Fine Dust Ordinance, 2,004 votes, 14%), which prioritizes citizens' right to breathe clean air.

The "Fine Dust Ordinance" was proactively established by Seoul in February 2019 following the enactment of the Special Act on Fine Dust. It was the first in the nation to implement emergency reduction measures for high concentrations of fine dust, including restrictions on grade 5 vehicles, to protect citizens' health and create a pleasant living environment.

Notably, the seasonal management system for fine dust, a focused control measure based on seasonal factors, was first introduced by Seoul and later expanded to a national policy, playing a leading role in driving national fine dust legislation and policies.

The third place went to the "Seoul Metropolitan Ordinance on the Promotion of Mobility Convenience for Transportation Vulnerable Groups" (Mobility Rights Ordinance, 1,679 votes, 11.7%), enacted to protect the mobility rights of vulnerable groups.

Transportation vulnerable groups include people with disabilities, elderly seniors, pregnant women, caregivers with infants, and children, accounting for one in four people in South Korea.

The "Mobility Rights Ordinance" restored the dignity of transportation vulnerable groups and became a beacon in their daily lives. The Seoul Metropolitan Council revised and supplemented the ordinance originally enacted in 2007 in December 2017, establishing the legal basis for low-floor buses, disability call taxis, escalators, and elevators in subway stations, improving transportation convenience for vulnerable groups.

The fourth place was the "Seoul Metropolitan Ordinance on the Promotion of Bicycle Use" (hereafter, the Ddareungi Ordinance, 1,664 votes, 11.6%), which encourages eco-friendly green transportation while promoting health.

Enacted in 2007, the "Seoul Bicycle Use Promotion Ordinance" has been revised to reflect citizens' convenience and provided the basis for the full-scale introduction of Ddareungi in October 2015.

"Ddareungi" is a public bicycle rental and return system established and operated by Seoul to enable anyone to conveniently and safely use bicycles. It ranked first for three consecutive years from 2017 to 2019 in the "Seoul City Policy Rankings Resonating with Citizens." In 2020, it operated 37,500 bicycles with a cumulative membership of 3 million, experiencing rapid growth.

Other ordinances ranked as follows: "Seoul Metropolitan Ordinance on Support for On-Village Childcare (Childcare Ordinance)" (5th, 1,504 votes, 10.5%), "Seoul Metropolitan Ordinance on Financial Support and Safety Operation Standards for City Buses (Bus Semi-Public Operation Ordinance)" (6th, 1,389 votes, 9.7%), and "Seoul Metropolitan Ordinance on the Use and Management of Seoul Plaza (Seoul Plaza Ordinance)" (7th, 1,156 votes, 8%).

Meanwhile, to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the revival of local councils, the Seoul Metropolitan Council plans to publish and share a booklet titled "Top 30 Ordinances of the Seoul Metropolitan Council That Changed Citizens' Lives" starting July. This booklet reviews the 30-year history of local autonomy through ordinances closely related to citizens' lives and highlights the achievements of the Seoul Metropolitan Council.

Additionally, during the week of the 30th anniversary ceremony of the Seoul Metropolitan Council's revival (July 8), the council announced it will exhibit key contents including the selection process and introduction of the "Top 30 Ordinances of the Seoul Metropolitan Council That Changed Citizens' Lives," including the citizen vote results, on the first floor of the Seoul Metropolitan Council Members' Hall. (July 5?9)

Kwak No-hyun, chairman of the ordinance selection committee and former Seoul Superintendent of Education, added, "Like all laws, ordinance legislation is both a product and a driving force of changing times. The results of the Top 30 Ordinances project confirm that the Seoul Metropolitan Council has faithfully reflected changes in the times as a legislative body over the past 30 years."

Kim In-ho, chairman of the Seoul Metropolitan Council, stated, "By carefully examining the voting results, we can understand the legislative direction that citizens expect and desire. Going forward, the Seoul Metropolitan Council will continue to create ordinances that citizens need so that Seoul citizens can live happier and safer lives."

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