Seoul City Councilor Choi Hojung (People Power Party) Proposes Ordinance for a Safe and Warm Multicultural Seoul

Two Ordinances Proposed Including Emergency Disaster Alerts for Foreign Residents in Seoul, Transportation Subsidies for Pregnant Women and Multicultural Families, and Protection and Support for Children of Multicultural Families Victimized by Child Abuse

Assemblyman Choi Ho-jung asking a question during the meeting

[Asia Economy Reporter Jongil Park] Choi Hojung, a member of the Seoul Metropolitan Council's Health and Welfare Committee (People Power Party representative member, Seocho 4), proposed two ordinances on the 12th for a "Safe and Warm Multicultural Seoul."

The ordinances include ▲Partial Amendment to the Seoul Metropolitan Government Ordinance on Support for Foreign Residents and Multicultural Families ▲Partial Amendment to the Seoul Metropolitan Government Ordinance on Childbirth and Childcare Support. These cover emergency disaster situation notifications such as flood damage and COVID-19 for foreign residents living in Korea, payment of the "Seoul City Transportation Allowance for Pregnant Women" to multicultural family pregnant women, and protection and support for multicultural children who are victims of child abuse.

Earlier, on the 19th of last month, Assemblywoman Choi Hojung pointed out during the Women's and Family Policy Office briefing the issue that "multicultural family pregnant women, despite being spouses of nationals, are excluded from the Seoul City transportation allowance support project for pregnant women and face discrimination." As a follow-up measure, she proposed the 'Partial Amendment to the Seoul Metropolitan Government Ordinance on Childbirth and Childcare Support.'

The content includes the mayor's responsibility to strive to prevent discrimination against foreigners and multicultural families, prenatal and postpartum depression screening for spouses of nationals, and transportation allowance support of 700,000 KRW for pregnant women.

The Partial Amendment to the Seoul Metropolitan Government Ordinance on Support for Foreign Residents and Multicultural Families specifies ▲disaster notifications for foreign residents living in Korea ▲prevention of discrimination against multicultural families and human rights advocacy education and promotion ▲counseling services for marriage immigrants ▲legal services for multicultural families and protection and support for marriage immigrants who have suffered domestic violence and multicultural family children who have been victims of child abuse.

Assemblywoman Choi Hojung said, "After inquiries at the Health and Welfare Committee standing committee, I have been considering policies to support multicultural families," adding, "I will strive to make Seoul a warm city that ensures multicultural pregnant women, who are spouses of nationals, receive rightful support and embraces marriage immigrant women and children who are in blind spots of discrimination and domestic violence."

She also added, "Climate anomalies and the pandemic have instilled a sense of crisis worldwide that disasters can occur anywhere. It is necessary to establish a system that promptly notifies foreigners of urgent disaster situations so that Seoul is recognized as a safe city."

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