New ordinance restricts trips near end of term, expands disclosure and post-trip oversight
The Seoul Metropolitan Council is raising the bar for overseas official travel by its members. The changes restrict such trips in principle during the final year of a member's term, expand public disclosure of travel plans and review processes, and strengthen overall transparency and accountability.
The steering committee, chaired by Lee Byeong-do, proposed the partial amendment to the ordinance governing overseas official travel by Seoul Metropolitan Council members as a committee bill. It passed at the first plenary session of the 339th extraordinary session on Aug. 25.
The revision reflects recommendations the Ministry of Interior and Safety issued last December when it amended the standard rules for overseas official travel by local council members. It also responds to the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission's comprehensive integrity assessments of local councils, and adds institutional safeguards to ensure overseas trips translate into substantive legislative outcomes.
The most notable change is a blanket restriction on overseas official travel within one year of a member's term expiration. The intent is to apply stricter scrutiny to whether trips taken near the end of a term have any genuine connection to legislative work.
For general-purpose overseas official travel, permit-review documents will be posted on the council's website so residents can submit opinions. The measure creates a channel for citizens to verify the necessity, purpose and appropriateness of planned trips.
Post-trip oversight is also being strengthened. If any unlawful or improper conduct is identified during an overseas official trip, an audit or investigation referral will be mandatory. Members who receive disciplinary action or are ordered to return costs will be barred from overseas travel for two years.
New protections for council staff were also introduced. Employees will be entitled to refuse instructions unrelated to official duties — such as being pressured to use a specific travel agency, being asked to cover expenses, or being assigned personal errands during a trip. The provisions are designed to prevent staff who support members' overseas activities from being burdened with improper tasks.
"This ordinance amendment is meaningful in that it ensures overseas activities by council members go through more thorough vetting and preparation so they can produce real legislative results," said Lee, the steering committee chairman and a Democratic Party of Korea member representing Eunpyeong District 3.
The ordinance is expected to be promulgated and take effect in October after clearing the Seoul Metropolitan Government's ordinance and regulation review process. The broader aim of the amendment is to reframe overseas official travel not as simple foreign trips but as legislative activities that build policy capacity, while institutionally strengthening citizen oversight and scrutiny.
7toy7@heraldcorp.com
