One Year Since Launch, Seocho-gu Ombudsman Efficiently Resolves Long-Unresolved Complaints

Listening to Over 150 Residents' Voices

The 'Seocho-gu Ombudsman' is consulting with residents. (Photo by Seocho-gu Office)

Seocho-gu, Seoul (Mayor Jeon Seong-su) celebrated the 1st anniversary of the 'Seocho-gu Ombudsman,' introduced to protect and enhance the rights and interests of residents. Over the past year, the Seocho-gu Ombudsman has listened to more than 150 voices from residents and resolved numerous complex issues, including conflicts between laws and long-standing unresolved complaints.

One such issue involved the age criteria for 'youth' eligible for the 'Youth Seocho Health Checkup.' According to the Youth Basic Act, 'youth' refers to individuals aged 19 to 34, but under the Seoul Metropolitan City Seocho-gu Youth Basic Ordinance, 'youth' refers to residents registered in Seocho-gu, Seoul, aged 19 to 39.

As such, the age definition of youth varies depending on the law, and the existing 'Youth Seocho Health Checkup' was targeted at youth aged 19 to 34 according to the Youth Basic Act.

However, to strengthen residents' rights and expand the beneficiaries of the health checkup, the Ombudsman proposed extending the age limit from 34 to 39 in accordance with the Seoul Metropolitan City Seocho-gu Youth Basic Ordinance. After discussions, this proposal was accepted and immediately implemented, allowing residents up to age 39 to receive the benefits of the 'Youth Seocho Health Checkup.'

In addition, to assist complainants facing difficulties due to conflicts between the Farmland Act and the Mountainous Area Act, the Ombudsman explained and persuaded them regarding the legal conflicts and also proposed institutional improvements to the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission. Recognizing these efforts, the district achieved the highest grade, 'Grade A,' in the '2023 Comprehensive Evaluation of Civil Complaint Services in the Grievance Handling Sector' hosted by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety.

This year, the Seocho-gu Ombudsman plans to widely promote the system by uploading easy and engaging introduction videos about the Ombudsman system on its YouTube channel and conducting on-site consultations through the visiting Ombudsman service.

Residents wishing to file grievance complaints with the Seocho-gu Ombudsman can apply online through the Seocho-gu Office website or visit the Seocho-gu Ombudsman office on the 3rd floor of the Seocho Cultural and Arts Center in person to apply.

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