Social Protection and Investment for a better quality of life
“Seoul Welfare Standards”Seoul
■ Outline
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The Seoul Welfare Standard aims to improve the welfare of the citizens of Seoul in five major areas: income, housing, care, health, and education. The charter was adopted in October 2012 as a protector of people’s basic livelihood, an enabler of civic integration, and a driver of social development. The charter was the first of its kind in South Korea, defining both minimum and decent standards of welfare. Following the charter’s adoption, the City government now supports 190,000 citizens in need.
The project was a 2013 winner of the United Nations Public Service Award.
■ Period of Implementation
- February 1, 2012: Development of Seoul Welfare Standard begins with an academic research project.
- February 14, 2012: The Seoul Welfare Standard Committee is launched.
- April 10, 2012: The first draft of the Seoul Welfare Standard is written.
- May 2012: Six policy workshops are help, comprising 594 participants. Opinions on the first draft of the Standard are gathered.
- May-July 2012: Feasibility review of the first draft of the Standard.
- August 2012: Roundtable held with 1,075 participants; consensus-building and incorporation of final edits to the Standard.
- September 2012: Final draft completed.
- October 2012: The final version of the Seoul Welfare Standard is announced and adopted.
- April 2013: Quarterly Reporting of Evaluation Result.
■ Features
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･To accept universal welfare principles:
As a principle for institutionalizing social right, the Seoul Welfare Standard fully embraces universalism, which provides welfare to all citizens, rather than residualism, which limits welfare benefits to people with exceptionally low incomes. However, universal welfare does not necessarily mean that everyone is entitled to the same level of benefits. While universalism is a guiding principle that allows individuals to receive welfare benefits depending on their circumstances regardless of his or her economic ability, differentiated welfare benefits may be provided according to economic conditions and individual needs.
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･To establish Decent Standards on top of Minimum Standards:
While the establishment of Minimum Standards in five areas - income, housing, care, health and education - is given priority as a right of Seoul citizens by adopting the idea of National Minimum which western countries attempted to achieve through a traditional welfare state system in the 1940s and 50s, the Seoul Welfare Standard separately establishes Decent Standards, which is a level of welfare that is higher than the National Minimum. It will serve as a reference for the Seoul city government's welfare policy.
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･Citizens' Participation in Establishing Welfare Standards:
The process of developing the Seoul Welfare Standard has also focused on engaging citizens directly or indirectly from the initial stage of establishment, program selection to the last stage of reaching consensus on the Standard and breaking away from the conventional expert and
bureaucrat-centered policy decision-making. Real engagement of citizens in developing the Seoul Welfare Standard serves to improve its political substantiality and the viability of the city's administration. The Seoul Welfare Standard Committee launched with a mission to set out the Seoul Welfare Standard. It was composed of members of civic groups who were appointed to Committees representing each area, as well as experts in the five welfare areas. This was done to enhance citizen engagement. Also, policy workshops were held to listen to the general public, while Seoul Welfare Meari (which means ‘echo’ in English) Corps, a panel of citizens, was established to gather opinions on the Seoul Welfare Standard in real time. This provided unprecedented opportunity for citizens to directly participate in the process.
■ Outcomes / Benefits
- ･Elimination of Welfare Blind Spots and Shift to a Universal Welfare Regime - Following the charter’s adoption, the City government now supports 190,000 citizens in need.
- ･Policy focus switched from “development” to “people”
- ･Communication with citizens now plays a bigger role in government decision-making. Policy decisions are less bureaucratic.
- ･Citizens participate in implementing the policy.
■ Cost
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Initial Investment
･Total : 542,419 ($) / 571,818,000 (KRW)
- general operation cost : 230,032 ($) / 242,500,000(KRW)
- research and development cost : 312,386 ($) / 329,318,000(KRW)
※ As of 2012
■ Reference
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