Election of Kim Young-ok as Chairperson of the Health and Welfare Committee of the Seoul Metropolitan Council

Shin Dong-won (People Power Party, Nowon 1) and Oh Geum-ran (Democratic Party, Nowon 2) appointed as Vice-Chairs
Chairman Kim: "We will strive to lead Seoul's welfare policies to improve the welfare and health of Seoul citizens"

The Seoul Metropolitan Council elected Assemblywoman Kim Young-ok (People Power Party, Gwangjin 3) as the chairperson of the Health and Welfare Committee, which handles welfare and health policies and budgets related to women, families, persons with disabilities, and the elderly in Seoul, during the 325th extraordinary session held on July 29.

Chairperson Kim Young-ok previously served as a member of the 7th Gwangjin District Council and entered the 11th Seoul Metropolitan Council. After being elected as a Seoul Metropolitan Council member, she gained extensive experience in key policy areas of Seoul through roles such as Chairwoman of the Women’s Committee of the People Power Party Seoul Branch, and participation in the Health and Welfare Committee, Special Budget and Accounts Committee, Budget Policy Research Committee, Special Committee for the Realization of Undergrounding the Elevated Railway, Special Committee for Responding to the Low Birthrate Population Cliff, Policy Committee, and the Special Committee for a Drug-Free City Seoul.

The Seoul Metropolitan Council’s Health and Welfare Committee oversees a total of 179 affiliated institutions and 776 projects, including the Women and Family Office (6 departments), Welfare Office (9 departments), Citizen Health Bureau (7 departments), as well as the Women and Family Foundation, Seoul Welfare Foundation, Institute of Health and Environment, Seoul Medical Center, and other municipal hospitals. The committee’s 2024 budget amounts to 14.5357 trillion KRW, accounting for 31% of Seoul’s total budget of 47.3 trillion KRW.

Chairperson Kim stated, “Based on my two years of experience as a member of the Health and Welfare Committee, I will strive for proactive legislation and policies to enhance the welfare and health of Seoul citizens. I will closely monitor the realization of the 8th term of Seoul’s administration’s ‘Walking with the Vulnerable’ both quantitatively and qualitatively. In particular, I will ensure that the ‘Basic Income Pilot Project,’ which is gaining attention as a future welfare model, is operated effectively to eliminate welfare blind spots.”

“Furthermore, with an attitude of ‘wise questions and practical answers,’ I will work organically with the executive branch to find feasible solutions to welfare issues on the ground. Additionally, regarding recent public concerns about medical services, I will endeavor to continuously expand public health care services by enhancing essential medical facilities in municipal hospitals and establishing cooperative systems with the private sector,” she added.

Chairperson Kim also outlined the committee’s operational direction, saying, “In the latter half of the 11th term, the Health and Welfare Committee will actively communicate with welfare sites and citizens, maintain critical oversight of the executive agencies, and closely cooperate with them.”

The Seoul Metropolitan Council’s Health and Welfare Committee held its first standing committee meeting at 4 p.m. on July 29 during the 325th extraordinary session and appointed Assemblyman Shin Dong-won (People Power Party, Nowon 1) and Assemblywoman Oh Geum-ran (Democratic Party, Nowon 2) as vice-chairpersons.

The composition of the latter half of the 11th Health and Welfare Committee was finalized through a plenary session resolution on July 29, consisting of Chairperson Kim Young-ok (People Power Party, Gwangjin 3), Vice-Chairpersons Shin Dong-won (People Power Party, Nowon 1) and Oh Geum-ran (Democratic Party, Nowon 2), and members Kang Seok-ju (People Power Party, Gangseo 2), Do Mun-yeol (People Power Party, Yeongdeungpo 3), Shin Bok-ja (People Power Party, Dongdaemun 4), Lee Jong-hwan (People Power Party, Gangbuk 1), Kim In-je (Democratic Party, Guro 2), and Lee Byung-do (Democratic Party, Eunpyeong 2).

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