The government launched the 'National Safety Commission' on July 28, chaired by President Lee Jae-myung.
The Ministry of the Interior and Safety announced the commission's inaugural meeting held at the Government Seoul Building.
The commission was established under the 'Regulations on the Establishment and Operation of the National Safety Commission,' which was enacted in May. It serves as the highest body to review major national policies aimed at enhancing citizens' safety rights and creating a society that values life.
The first meeting was co-chaired by Yoon Ho-joong, Minister of the Interior and Safety, and Baek Jong-woo, a professor at Kyung Hee University and president of the Korea Suicide Prevention Association, in place of President Lee.
This launch signifies the activation of a national implementation system to translate the safety rights outlined in the 'Basic Law on Life Safety' into actual policies. The institutionalization of safety rights has been a long-standing demand from bereaved families and civil society following the Sewol ferry disaster, with legal grounds established by the enactment of the 'Basic Law on Life Safety' on June 2.
The commission will comprehensively review and coordinate life safety policies that have been dispersed across various ministries. It will monitor and facilitate the implementation of measures related to life safety, particularly identifying safety blind spots and incorporating external perspectives from appointed members to enhance departmental strategies.
The commission will have four subcommittees focusing on life safety, disaster safety, public safety, and victim support, which will review issues specific to each area.
Minister Yoon stated, "With the enactment of the Basic Law on Life Safety, the citizens' right to 'life and safety' has become a rightful claim that the state must protect. The commission will ensure that this right operates effectively in practice."
He added, "We will unify the safety policies that have been scattered across various ministries under a single standard of protecting citizens' lives, shifting from post-incident recovery to a prevention-focused approach to fulfill the state's fundamental duty to safeguard life and safety."
Vice Chair Baek remarked, "The inception of the Basic Law on Life Safety reflects the desire of disaster victims and their families to create a society where no one has to endure the pain of repeated disasters. Through the National Safety Commission, we will foster communication and cooperation between the government and the private sector to minimize preventable deaths and damages."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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