National Association of Mayors, Governors, and District Chiefs Holds Special Committee Meeting on Welfare Grand Compromise with Minister of Health and Welfare

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Seo Dong-young] The Special Committee on Welfare Grand Compromise of the National Association of Mayors, Governors, and District Chiefs (Chaired by Yeom Tae-young, Mayor of Suwon) held a meeting with Park Neung-hoo, Minister of Health and Welfare, at the Government Sejong Complex on the morning of the 25th.

At the meeting, the special committee discussed the background, purpose, and main policy contents of the welfare grand compromise initiative being promoted by the National Association, as well as future implementation plans and delivered a proposal document.

The meeting was attended by Hwang Myeong-seon, Mayor of Nonsan, Chungcheongnam-do and Standing Vice Chair of the National Association, and Jung Won-oh, District Chief of Seongdong-gu, Seoul and Secretary of the Special Committee.

Representative Chair Yeom Tae-young stated, "The purpose of this welfare grand compromise is to establish a sustainable welfare system, and its content requires a reasonable division of roles among the central, regional, and local governments, making a grand compromise between government entities essential." He also explained that the difficulties faced by local governments in promoting welfare projects are increasing due to improper distribution of welfare tasks and flawed financial execution structures.

During the meeting, matters related to the Ministry of Health and Welfare among the welfare grand compromise agenda were discussed. Specifically, requests were made for the establishment and operation of a central-local welfare project adjustment committee, adherence to the principle of central government responsibility for nationwide and universal social security benefits such as basic pensions, and a comprehensive review of government subsidy projects.

Additionally, the division of roles that local governments should undertake in the future was explained.

Meanwhile, the special committee plans to continue promoting the welfare grand compromise project this year and intends to pursue agenda-setting and public discourse through various activities, including hosting a National Assembly forum on the 9th of next month.