Suwon Mayor Yeom Tae-young: "Welfare Grand Compromise Special Committee Must Raise Questions for Second Round of Welfare Discourse"

[Suwon Ilbo = Reporter Seo Dong-young] Suwon Mayor Yeom Tae-young stated that "the goal of the Welfare Grand Compromise Special Committee is to raise the question of 'second round of welfare discourse' to our society."

Yeom Tae-young, chairman of the Welfare Grand Compromise Special Committee, said in opening remarks at a "Welfare Grand Compromise Special Committee Advisory Board Appointment and Roundtable" held on the 27th at the office of the National Council of Mayors and Governors in Yeouido, Seoul, "Through the free school lunch debate in 2011, we opened the 'first round of welfare discourse' for a full-scale transition to a welfare state. We must open the second round of welfare discourse for South Korea aligned with the people's expectations," emphasizing the point.

He continued, "We have identified 'reestablishing welfare roles between central, provincial, and local governments' as the core task of the Welfare Grand Compromise Special Committee," and urged, "Let us carefully create a roadmap to establish a sustainable and orderly welfare system."

He also stated, "We must actively explain our awareness of the issues to the people and social opinion leaders and seek their agreement. This is a task that the Welfare Grand Compromise Special Committee must pursue."

Meanwhile, the committee appointed 17 advisory board members from four sectors: ▲Social welfare (7 members) ▲Finance (5 members) ▲Conflict (2 members) ▲Third sector (3 members).

Professors Lee Bong-joo (Seoul National University Department of Social Welfare), Sohn Hee-joon (Cheongju University Department of Public Administration), and Joo Sung-soo (Hanyang University Graduate School of Public Policy) were selected as co-chairs of the advisory committee. Professor Lee Sang-yi from Jeju National University School of Medicine, who serves as representative of the Welfare State Society, will chair the public discussion committee. As third sector advisors, Professor Joo Sung-soo and Oh Geon-ho, operating chair of "Welfare State I Create," and Chung Chang-soo, director of the Institute for National Affairs, were appointed.

The Welfare Grand Compromise Special Committee under the National Council of Mayors and Governors was launched in July. As of the 25th, 202 local governments, representing 89.4% of 226 basic local governments nationwide, expressed their intention to participate in the special committee.