Sokcho City to Reflect Citizens’ Voices in Actual Welfare Policy Development

Sokcho City Launches Community Welfare Plan
Setting Welfare Milestones Through 2030
Results from Town Hall Meeting with 100 Citizens
Incorporating Citizen Input from the Initial Planning Stage

Sokcho City in Gangwon Province is set to establish the "6th Community Welfare Plan (2027–2030)," which will serve as a milestone for local welfare policies over the next four years, based on the opinions collected from citizens during the town hall meeting held on the 20th of last month.

Sokcho City will establish the "6th Local Community Security Plan (2027-2030)," which will serve as a milestone for regional welfare policies over the next four years, based on citizens' opinions collected at the town hall meeting held on the 20th of last month. Photo by Sokcho City

The city plans to begin research for the 6th Community Welfare Plan within this month and complete all related procedures by September.

From the very first step of this statutory plan, Sokcho City aims to actively reflect citizens’ voices to enhance the effectiveness of its policies and to create a "welfare city" that residents can truly experience and appreciate.

Previously, on March 20, the city hosted "Sokcho Welfare, Designed by Citizens" at Cassia Sokcho, where 100 citizens selected through an open call for each sector participated.

The event was conducted in a participatory roundtable format, where citizens from diverse backgrounds identified essential welfare agendas for the community and discussed policy priorities.

The policy agendas proposed by citizens were organized into 13 categories. According to the priority vote, the most urgent issue was "expanding medical facilities and enhancing medical services tailored to each life stage," followed by "expanding cultural facilities and educational programs in the region," "improving settlement conditions for young people," and "increasing youth welfare amenities and infrastructure," which were also selected as top priorities.

In more detailed discussions, the lack of essential medical infrastructure in the region was highlighted as the most pressing problem. Many specific medical needs were raised, including a 24-hour pediatric hospital, infrastructure for obstetrics and childbirth, pediatric and adolescent care available at night and on weekends, discussions on establishing a general hospital, and improvements to the emergency patient transportation system. These demands go beyond simply increasing the number of hospitals and are seen as directly tied to creating conditions for raising children and settling down in the city.

Among young adults and the middle-aged, demands for improved living conditions were particularly prominent. Suggestions focused on making Sokcho a "city where people want to stay," such as alleviating the burden of housing costs for young people, providing monthly rent support, expanding job opportunities, enhancing cultural infrastructure, and establishing dedicated spaces for youth. There were also calls for employment and reemployment support for career-interrupted women and middle-aged citizens, increasing tailored jobs and vocational training for people with disabilities, and expanding jobs and welfare facilities for the elderly—demonstrating the need for customized welfare policies for each life stage.

There was also feedback on improving the overall welfare delivery system. Citizens proposed identifying welfare blind spots, preventing overlapping benefits, providing data-driven customized support, establishing a welfare control tower, expanding the social welfare workforce, and improving working conditions for service providers. These suggestions reflect the strong perception on the ground that it is essential to build a system that provides accurate and timely support to those in need.

Sokcho City will establish the "6th Community Social Security Plan (2027–2030)," which will serve as a milestone for regional welfare policies over the next four years, based on the opinions of citizens gathered at the town hall meeting held on the 20th of last month. Provided by Sokcho City

The city plans to use these citizen proposals and the resulting priorities as key indicators for the 6th Community Welfare Plan. In particular, Sokcho City will distinguish between projects that can be pursued at the municipal level and those that require external cooperation or institutional improvement, aiming to maximize the feasibility of implementation.

The development of Sokcho City's 6th Community Welfare Plan will begin in April, undergo a five-month research and public consultation process, including a public hearing, official announcements, review by the Community Welfare Council, and reporting to the city council, and be completed by the end of September.

Lee Byeong-seon, Mayor of Sokcho, stated, "The valuable opinions you have shared from the field will become the solid foundation of Sokcho City's future welfare system," and added, "We will do our utmost to ensure that the town hall meeting does not end as a one-time proposal but is actively reflected in actual policies and projects, leading to tangible welfare changes that citizens can truly experience."

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