Seoul's inclusive growth initiatives garner global attention
Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon, front-row center, poses with delegates from 50 cities in 30 countries who attend the World Cities Summit Mayors Forum (WCSMF) at Dongdaemun Design Plaza in Seoul, Monday. Yonhap
Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon announced, Monday, the city's commitment to carry out policies prioritizing inclusive growth by supporting a variety of educational programs and a new welfare system for people in need.
During the World Cities Summit Mayors Forum (WCSMF), which took place at Dongdaemun Design Plaza in Seoul, Oh shared the outcomes of Seoul's policies toward "Going Together with the Socially Neglected," the slogan of the city which focuses on the inclusive growth.
Delegates from 50 cities across 30 countries attended the forum to discuss measures to enhance the livability and sustainability of their respective cities.
Oh pledged to ramp up efforts to make Seoul more livable and sustainable through a range of policies and expressed his willingness to share these experiences internationally.
"In light of the various challenges we have faced, such as infectious diseases, climate change, and social conflicts, the need for innovative ideas and new approaches toward inclusive growth has never been more urgent," Oh said.
Introducing "Seoul Learn," an online education support program, Oh emphasized that providing equal and quality education for youth is a crucial step in addressing polarization in Korea.
This initiative aims to level the playing field and provide equal opportunities. It offers needy students free access to online lectures by recommended instructors, study materials, and collegian mentors.
A year after the program started, a total of 461 students successfully entered universities through this program, according to the Seoul Metropolitan Government.
Oh said the city government will increase the number of participants for the program next year, designing a more comprehensive support system to create a society where everyone can achieve their dreams.
Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon gives a keynote speech during the World Cities Summit Mayors Forum (WCSMF) held at Dongdaemun Design Plaza in Seoul, Monday. Newsis
He also highlighted the outcome of Seoul’s new welfare system, named the “Seoul Safety Income Program,” which aims to assist households with earnings below the median income.
This program focuses on overcoming the limitations of the current application-based welfare system, which often discourages people in need from working due to concerns about losing their aid eligibility if they exceed the government's set limit of working hours.
“People would rather stay in the cycle of being poor and not work anymore, simply to get social aid from the city,” Oh said by pointing out the problem of the current system.
The key aspect of the policy is to motivate vulnerable social groups to work. Once individuals are identified as needing assistance, the city will monitor their monthly earnings and provide support until they earn enough to sustain themselves.
Oh also introduced plans to create an index that can evaluate the outcomes of the city’s policies aimed at inclusive growth. This index represents the city’s initial effort to assess municipal performance in mitigating polarization and inequality within the realm of social integration, according to the Seoul Metropolitan Government.
The city expects this index to serve as a tool for implementing policies based on systematic evaluation.
Delegates from cities awarded the Lee Kuan Yew World City Prize in the past read The Korea Times during a meeting at Dongdaemun Design Plaza in Seoul, Monday, ahead of the World Cities Summit Mayors Forum (WCSMF). The three-day forum kicked off, Sunday. Courtesy of Seoul Metropolitan Government
"I hope this forum will be a chance to actively share each city's experience," said Desmond Lee, minister for National Development in Singapore.
Delegates from other cities also introduced their policies to make metropolises more habitable and sustainable.
Dublin, the capital of Ireland, emphasized the role of culture in bringing city residents together.
"Culture dictates where we come from and it underpins inclusive hopes for communities to come together," said Daithi de Roiste, the mayor of Dublin.
The Vietnamese city of Ho Chi Minh shared the experience of a comprehensive social security system that its government established.
"This initiative accomplished great success and was recognized by the U.N. for having significant contributions to the city's implementation," said Phan Van Mai, chairman of the People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City.
On Tuesday, the last day of the WCSMF, delegates will have the opportunity to experience products and services from 27 innovative companies.
Additionally, an MOU between the Land Transport Authority of the Seoul Metropolitan Government and Singapore will be introduced. This agreement, signed on June 1, aims to facilitate the exchange of policies related to eco-friendly public transportation between the two cities.
The next WCSMF is scheduled to be held in Singapore, the city that established the forum, and the following one will take place in Vienna in 2025, the capital of Austria. Vienna won the Lee Kuan Yew World City Prize this year.