Seoul Citizen Audit Ombudsman Committee Signs MOU with Civil Society Organizations to Protect Citizens' Rights

Seoul Heungsadan, Pan-Citizen Social Organizations Coalition, and Citizens' Coalition for Economic Justice Sign Business Agreement

Juyonghak, Chairman of the Seoul Citizens' Audit Ombudsman Committee, and Kim Chunsik, Representative of Seoul Heungsadan, signed a business agreement on the 29th of last month and are taking a commemorative photo.

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] On the 6th, it was announced that the Seoul Citizens' Audit Ombudsman Committee, Seoul Heungsadan, the Citizens' Coalition for Economic Justice, and the Pan-Civil Society Organizations Coalition, three civic groups, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).

This agreement aims to share audit, investigation, and monitoring activities of the Citizens' Audit Ombudsman Committee and to strengthen mutual cooperation systems with civil society organizations. The agreement was signed with key officials from the respective institutions present on August 29 at Seoul Heungsadan, August 30 at the Pan-Civil Society Organizations Coalition, and September 5 at the Citizens' Coalition for Economic Justice.

Under this agreement, the two parties agreed to mutually cooperate in areas including ▲ activating citizens' audit requests to improve unreasonable administrative systems ▲ investigating and mediating grievances caused by illegal or unfair administrative actions ▲ enhancing fairness and transparency in city administration through monitoring public projects ▲ and improving systems reflecting citizens' voices.

Seoul City launched the Citizens' Audit Ombudsman Committee in February 2016 as the nation's first independent collegiate administrative body, expanding from an internal audit organization to include grievance investigation and handling. However, public awareness of the committee's activities such as citizen and resident audits, grievance investigations, and monitoring and evaluation of public projects remains low.

The Seoul Citizens' Audit Ombudsman Committee plans to continue expanding MOUs with civil society organizations and non-profit corporations starting with this agreement. Chairman Joo Yong-hak of the Citizens' Audit Ombudsman Committee stated, “We ask citizens to actively utilize the Citizens' Audit Ombudsman Committee regarding any violations, unfair administrative actions, or unreasonable administrative systems by Seoul City or autonomous districts that infringe on citizens' rights or cause inconvenience or burden. We will oversee administration with the eyes of citizens and correct it with the hearts of citizens.”

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