Suwon Mayor Yim Tae-young: "Mandatory Welfare Policies Must Strengthen Central Government Responsibility"

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Seo Dong-young] “Mandatory welfare policies must strengthen central government responsibility.”

Suwon Mayor Yim Tae-young attended the 10th Social Relations Ministers' Meeting held at the Seoul Government Complex on the 26th. Mayor Yim presented opinions on the government's plans for the integrated community care pilot project and support for children and youth from multicultural backgrounds.

As chair of the Korea Association of Mayors, Governors and District Chiefs, Mayor Yim, representing basic local governments, emphasized regarding the integrated community care pilot project that “mandatory welfare policies must strengthen the responsibility of the central government so that universal integrated care can be stably established.”

Regarding support measures for children and youth from multicultural backgrounds, he welcomed the establishment of a comprehensive government-wide support plan and suggested “designing the system with local governments at the center and transferring operational autonomy to local governments to increase efficiency.”

The Social Relations Ministers' Meeting, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and Education Minister Yoo Eun-hye and attended by ministers from the Ministry of Economy and Finance, Ministry of Interior and Safety, Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Ministry of Employment and Labor, and Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, as well as the Senior Secretary for Social Affairs at the Blue House, is held to address major social policy issues through a whole-of-government approach.

Local government officials including Mayor Yim, Seoul Seodaemun-gu District Chief Moon Seok-jin, Jeonju Mayor Kim Seung-su, Bucheon Mayor Jang Deok-cheon, and Hwaseong Mayor Seo Chul-mo attended the meeting. This was the first time local government officials have participated in the Social Relations Ministers' Meeting.

Mayor Yim Tae-young said, “Basic local governments are the ultimate implementers of policy projects pursued by the central government. If we seek cooperation between the two institutions in the policy-making process, we can increase effectiveness.”