Seoul mayor delivers opening statement at National Assembly audit

'The standard for measuring city administration is citizens' lives'

Highlights Sonmok Doctor 9988, Han River Bus among key achievements

'I will listen carefully and faithfully reflect your guidance'

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon [Yonhap]
Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon [Yonhap]

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon said Thursday he would cooperate actively with the National Assembly and take full responsibility for matters under the city's purview, ahead of a national audit by the Assembly's Public Administration and Security Committee.

Speaking at Seoul City Hall before the audit began Thursday morning, Oh said in his opening remarks that the national audit is "a precious occasion to look back on past city administration, identify shortcomings, and chart the way forward." He added that he would "listen carefully to the guidance of committee members and reflect necessary improvements in city administration with greater care."

Oh said the starting point of Seoul's city administration — and the standard by which its achievements should be measured — must be the lives of its citizens. "Even if Seoul becomes wealthier and stronger, if citizens' worries do not diminish and their sense of ease and happiness does not grow, that growth is not enough," he said.

He said the direction of Seoul's ninth elected-term administration had been set as "Seoul, a special city for quality of life," pledging to ensure citizens could feel meaningful change across every aspect of their lives — from health and housing to culture and safety.

Oh went on to highlight key policies and achievements from his tenure, including Sonmok Doctor 9988 (a wearable health-monitoring program), Loneliness Goodbye 120 (a social isolation support service), the Rapid Integrated Planning initiative and the Han River Bus service.

He said the city would not evaluate policy outcomes solely by the number and scale of projects. "I will take seriously the criticisms and suggestions offered at today's national audit, address shortcomings and correct what is wrong," he said. He added that the city would "cooperate actively with the National Assembly where cooperation is needed, and take responsibility to the end for what Seoul must be responsible for."


ikson@heraldcorp.com