"Not Included in the Health Bureau's Safety Headquarters"... Civic Groups Oppose Incheon City's Organizational Restructuring Plan

Incheon City Hall

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Hyesook] As Incheon City prepares for an organizational restructuring scheduled for February next year, a plan to incorporate the Health and Hygiene Bureau into the Citizen Safety Headquarters has sparked opposition from civic groups.

The Incheon Public Medical Forum, consisting of six organizations including the National Health and Medical Industry Labor Union Incheon-Bucheon Headquarters and Incheon Peace Welfare Solidarity, issued a statement on the 20th urging, "Incheon City should cancel the plan to include health under the safety sector and establish a system that integrates health and welfare."

The group argued, "According to the ordinance draft announced for legislative notice this month, the Health and Hygiene Bureau will be incorporated into the Citizen Safety Headquarters. The Citizen Safety Headquarters primarily focuses on disaster and safety policy projects, and by emphasizing only safety roles, there is a concern that health and medical policies ensuring citizens' right to health may be neglected."

They continued, "Health policies must be interrelated with welfare policies. To identify welfare blind spots, as seen in the 'Seo-gu family death incident,' close coordination between health and welfare is essential," emphasizing, "A Health and Welfare Headquarters (tentative name) should be established by combining the Health Bureau, Welfare Bureau, and Women and Family Bureau."

Earlier, Incheon City announced an organizational restructuring plan to realize the vision and administrative goals of the 8th elected government, including the establishment of the Global City Bureau, Future Industry Bureau, and Public Relations Headquarters, as well as the expansion and strengthening of the Citizen Safety Headquarters.

The city stated that it plans to rename the Health and Hygiene Bureau to the Health Bureau and incorporate it into the Citizen Safety Headquarters to focus its capabilities on ensuring citizen safety and a healthy life.

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