Seoul's city government and council are showing signs of conflict over the revised budget and ordinance proposals, despite initial cooperation emphasized at the start of the ninth municipal administration.
Mayor Oh Se-hoon’s proposed budgets for youth artificial intelligence (AI) support and night economy revitalization have been completely cut during the city council's committee review. In contrast, the 'rights-based public jobs for severely disabled individuals,' which the city had previously abolished due to operational issues related to protests and demonstrations, is now being revived under the leadership of the Democratic Party.
Concerns are rising within and outside the city regarding the Democratic Party's overwhelming 80-seat majority potentially hindering the mayor's key policy initiatives. The city council maintains that verifying the budget allocation process and the effectiveness of projects is a fundamental responsibility.
According to the city and the council, the Urban Planning and Balance Committee fully cut the supplementary budget of 5.625 billion won for the 'Youth AI Growth Rights Support' project on September 3. This initiative, known as the 'Youth AI Ladder,' aims to provide access to generative AI services for Seoul residents aged 19 to 29, allowing approximately 500,000 young people to utilize generative AI regardless of their economic circumstances. This was the first youth policy announced directly by Mayor Oh shortly after he took office.
During the first review on September 1, the council pointed out that there had been no discussions regarding the establishment of a social security system, and the justification for the target group of 500,000 and the age range of 19 to 29 was insufficient. In the second review on September 3, a motion to cut the budget was proposed without any additional inquiries, leading to the complete elimination of the funding.
Youth AI and Night Economy Projects Halted; City Claims Core Initiatives Undermined
On September 2, the Planning and Economic Committee also cut the entire budget of 1.2 billion won for the 'Regional Night Market Creation and Operation' project. This initiative is part of the ninth administration's strategy to enhance nighttime tourism, consumption, and cultural activities in Seoul.
The council determined that the project had proceeded with a public solicitation process before the budget review, which could infringe upon the council's budget review authority. They questioned whether there was a need to provide additional support to already thriving commercial areas and whether sufficient justification for support was established in related ordinances.
While the city acknowledged the council's concerns and stated it would address any necessary improvements, it expressed frustration that the complete absence of funding for core projects effectively prevents policy implementation. The city perceives the decision to eliminate the entire budget without adjustments or conditional funding as a political constraint beyond mere policy verification.
Internally, there are worries that this budget cut may not only affect individual projects but could also lead to broader restrictions on Mayor Oh's key policies in the future. Concerns have been raised that the operational methods used by the Democratic Party in the National Assembly, which previously limited major policies and budgets of the Yoon Suk-yeol administration, may be replicated in the city council.
Movements surrounding Mayor Oh's flagship project, 'Wrist Doctor 9988,' are also heightening these anxieties. Democratic council members have proposed an amendment to limit the project's eligibility to residents of Seoul, excluding citizens living in the city for work or school. Although the proposal has been postponed for this session, it may be revisited, leaving uncertainty regarding the project's operation.
Revival of Abolished Programs; Controversy Over Budget Allocation
Conversely, the 'rights-based public jobs for severely disabled individuals,' which Mayor Oh had previously abolished, is now undergoing a revival process.
The Health and Welfare Committee of the city council approved an amendment to the 'Seoul City Employment Promotion and Vocational Rehabilitation Support Ordinance' on September 3, led by Democratic Party member Lee Sang-hoon. All 80 Democratic council members participated in the proposal, which was processed under the party's leadership in the committee.
The amendment establishes a definition for rights-based public jobs and includes provisions for the development, distribution, and expansion of related jobs, participation scale, dedicated personnel, and entrusted organizations in the employment promotion plan for disabled individuals. It also includes budgetary support for needs assessments, public sector job creation, independent living programs, and lifelong education connections. If the amendment passes the full council, it is likely that related budgets will be reallocated. The budget for the program just before its abolition in 2023 was approximately 5.8 billion won.
While the city agrees with the intention to expand labor rights and social participation for disabled individuals, it contends that there were issues with the previous operational methods. According to a 2023 survey by the city, out of 17,228 job activities in rights-based public jobs from 2020 to 2022, campaigns accounted for 8,691 cases, or 50.4%. In 2023, 82.3% of the total project budget, amounting to 4.774 billion won, was concentrated in certain disability support centers affiliated with the National Coalition for the Elimination of Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities.
The city requested a postponement of the ordinance review, citing concerns that the project was overly focused on protests, demonstrations, and campaigns compared to typical jobs for disabled individuals, and that funding was disproportionately allocated to specific organizations. They argued that the compatibility with higher laws and future financial burdens should be thoroughly examined, but this request was not accepted.
Democratic council members counter that advocacy activities for severely disabled individuals, who have been excluded from the existing labor market, should be recognized as legitimate job functions. They argue that if there were issues in the past, the focus should be on strengthening management, supervision, and evaluation systems rather than abolishing the program entirely.
The complete cuts to the youth AI and night economy budgets, alongside the revival of the abolished rights-based public jobs, signal a deepening conflict over the direction of the ninth administration in Seoul. The outcomes of the upcoming budget review committee and full council sessions are expected to be a critical test of cooperation between the city and the council.
* This article has been translated by AI.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.