Candidate Joo Kwangdeok Pledges to Establish Long-Term Care Support Center and Improve Working Conditions for Care Workers

Joo Kwangdeok, Namyangju Mayoral Candidate

Meeting with the Namyangju Senior Long-term Care Institutions Association

Welfare Innovation in Namyangju through "Smart Healthcare"

92.8% Pledge Fulfillment Rate... "Eliminating Blind Spots in Care"

"Aiming to Make Namyangju the Standard for Smart Welfare Without Blind Spots"

Namyangju City mayoral candidate Joo Kwangdeok (People Power Party) has unveiled a blueprint aimed at strengthening the expertise of elderly care services and radically improving working conditions for care workers in preparation for the era of super-aged society.

Candidate Joo Kwangdeok, prospective mayor of Namyangju City, held a meeting with the Namyangju City Association of Long-Term Care Institutions on the 8th and announced a welfare pledge focused on the 'Establishment of Namyangju Long-Term Care Support Center' and 'Improvement of Treatment for Long-Term Care Workers.' Photo provided by Candidate Joo Kwangdeok

On May 8, candidate Joo held a meeting with the Namyangju Senior Long-term Care Institutions Association and announced welfare pledges focusing on the establishment of the Namyangju Long-Term Care Support Center and the improvement of working conditions for long-term care workers.

One of Joo’s key pledges is the construction of the Namyangju Long-Term Care Support Center, a long-standing aspiration of the field. This center will not be limited to simple support work; rather, it will be operated using an "administrative consignment" model that incorporates private sector expertise into public administration. Through this, the plan is to enhance the efficiency of facility guidance and inspections, reduce the workload for public officials, and establish a management system closely connected to the field.

He also proposed a new standard for digital welfare. Candidate Joo stated he would consider establishing a "smart healthcare" system, including: ▲fall detection systems, ▲AI-powered smart hospital escort services, and ▲smartwatch-based vital sign monitoring and incontinence sensors. He emphasized, "We will usher in an era of 'warm technology' where AI not only ensures seniors’ safety 24 hours a day but also alleviates the burdens of care workers, going beyond simply distributing devices."

Measures to genuinely improve the rights and interests of care workers are also included. Candidate Joo pledged to make the improvement allowance of 100,000 won for care workers, set to begin in 2026, more practical. In addition, by creating a "Namyangju-style Seniors’ Rights Manual" and strengthening a pre-administrative filtering system through the "Elder Abuse Prevention Committee," he plans to prevent unjust cases and restore trust between institutions and guardians.

This meeting was organized so that Mayor Joo, who has fulfilled 92.8% of his pledges during the 8th popularly elected term—always prioritizing his "promise to citizens"—could listen directly to voices from the field and further develop a next-generation welfare model suited to the super-aged era.

Candidate Joo Kwangduk for Mayor of Namyangju held a meeting with the Namyangju Senior Long-Term Care Institutions Association on the 8th and announced welfare pledges focusing on the establishment of the Namyangju Long-Term Care Support Center and the improvement of treatment for long-term care workers. Photo by Candidate Joo Kwangduk

Candidate Joo remarked, "The more than 12,000 long-term care workers are the heroes at the forefront of Namyangju’s welfare," adding, "I will not stop at opening the door to improved working conditions as I pledged upon taking office, but with the two wings of 'smart healthcare' and the 'Long-Term Care Support Center,' I will make Namyangju the national standard for smart welfare in Korea."

Meanwhile, Mayor Joo Kwangdeok has been steadily enhancing public trust in city administration by responsibly fulfilling citizen-focused pledges, such as expanding transportation infrastructure, developing a future-oriented integrated medical complex, and increasing the number of welfare centers for seniors and people with disabilities during his 8th term in office.

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