The Power of a Single Citizen
An ordinance.
A regulation of a local government—essentially, a law that functions only within a specific city.
While laws proposed in the National Assembly apply nationwide, ordinances proposed by the Mir City Council operate strictly within the boundaries of Mir City.
If an ordinance conflicts with national law, it becomes an issue. But this time, there was no risk of conflict.
"Article 15 of the Child Welfare Act. Children in crisis who lack guardians or face abusive situations may be placed under temporary protection, admitted to facilities, or, if necessary, entrusted to family-style protection or independent living support housing."
The law did not limit the type of protection strictly to institutional facilities.
In other words, the law did not mandate that Kim Si-jun be sent to a youth shelter while his younger siblings were forced into separate child welfare or infant care facilities.
An ordinance that allowed them to live together would not conflict with national law; rather, it would serve as a perfect complementary measure.
Article 1 (Purpose)
The purpose of this ordinance is to establish and operate family-style independent protective housing within Mir City to support the self-reliance and recovery of youth in crisis—such as those facing domestic violence, neglect, abandonment, abuse, or the temptation of narcotics—and their minor siblings, ensuring they can be protected together without separation.
Article 2 (Definitions)
The terms used in this ordinance are defined as follows:
1. "Youth in Crisis" refers to youth under the age of 18 who require protection pursuant to Article 2 of the Youth Welfare Support Act and Article 3 of the Child Welfare Act.
2. "Independent Protective Housing" refers to a communal living space where youth in crisis reside for a certain period to develop self-reliance skills, living without a guardian.
3. "Family-Style Protection" refers to a form of protection that supports youth in crisis and their minor siblings so they can live together without being separated.
Article 3 (Scope of Application)
This ordinance shall apply to persons falling under any of the following categories:
1. Youth in crisis who have a registered address or actual residence in Mir City.
2. Minor siblings residing with a youth in crisis.
3. Persons requiring protection who are recommended by welfare institutions, educational institutions, City Hall, or civic organizations.
Article 4 (Establishment and Operation of Independent Protective Housing)
1. The Mayor may establish and operate family-style independent protective housing for the protection of youth in crisis.
2. Protective housing shall be established utilizing municipal land, public rental housing, or real estate acquired through public contributions.
3. Protective housing shall include the following functions:
A. Provision of daily necessities and meals.
B. Rotational residency of social workers or life guidance personnel.
C. Self-reliance support education and counseling linkages.
D. Establishment of individual self-reliance plans, including academics, employment, and health management.
E. Linkage with social participation programs, such as public jobs for youth self-reliance and peer youth mentoring.
Article 5 (Principle of Joint Sibling Residence)
1. In cases where a youth in crisis has minor siblings, the siblings shall, in principle, reside together in the same protective housing.
2. However, in exceptional cases where special circumstances exist, such as violence between siblings, separate protection may be considered.
3. To this end, the Mayor shall establish an integrated management system for youth and children, and design the structure and operation of protective housing to be suitable for the protection of siblings.
Article 6 (Dedicated Department and Operating Agencies)
1. The Mayor shall designate a department dedicated to youth welfare or child and youth affairs for the implementation of this ordinance.
2. Where commissioned operation is necessary, a youth-related corporation may perform the relevant duties.
Article 7 (Budgetary Support and Securing Finances)
1. The City shall secure and support the budget necessary for the establishment and operation of protective housing.
2. In addition to the general account, the budget may be raised through various financial resources, such as lottery funds, citizen donations, and central government subsidies.
3. The City may, if necessary, compile a supplementary budget to secure emergency operating funds.
Article 8 (Temporary Protective Support Prior to Enforcement)
1. Even before the enforcement of this ordinance, if protection is urgent, the Mayor or the department in charge may designate temporary protective spaces through agreements with private spaces or voluntary collaborators.
2. The City may dispatch necessary personnel to temporary protective spaces for the safety of children, or cooperate with designated citizen guardians or social workers.
ADDENDA
1. (Enforcement Date) This ordinance shall enter into force on the date of its promulgation.
2. (Transitional Measures) Youth in crisis who were already under protection prior to the enforcement of this ordinance may be relocated and adjusted to protective housing in accordance with this ordinance.
Lee Yun-hyeok had the seasoned expertise of a five-term National Assembly member who had proposed countless bills throughout his career.
It took him a mere twenty minutes to draft the ordinance.
Immediately after, he headed straight for City Hall.
"It's Lee Yun-hyeok!"
"What is it this time..."
"He's back already?!"
At the sudden appearance of the civilian powerhouse who had previously turned the Planning and Coordination Director and the entire Transportation Department upside down, civil servants at every service window began to buzz with anxiety.
Yun-hyeok walked straight to the department handling citizen petitions.
"Hello."
Yun-hyeok handed the draft ordinance to the clerk at the window.
"I am here to exercise the Ordinance Enactment/Abolition Request Right."
Ordinances were typically drafted by city council members. For an ordinary citizen, getting a drafted ordinance onto the city council floor was an incredibly steep hill to climb.
But exercising the Ordinance Enactment/Abolition Request Right changed the game entirely. Once invoked, the city council was legally obligated to review the proposal in a plenary session.
"The... the Ordinance Enactment/Abolition Request Right...?"
Of course, exercising this right was no simple feat. If it were easy, anyone would be shoving bills into the council, paralyzing the legislative process.
To exercise the right, a citizen had to gather a specific number of signatures from local residents who agreed with the petition.
For cities with a population under 500,000, the consent of 1% of the total population was required.
Since Mir City had a population of 490,000, that meant a staggering 4,900 signatures were needed.
Because gathering that many signatures was nearly impossible for an ordinary civilian, the right usually existed only on paper. But...
"Here it is."
Yun-hyeok had the backing of the parents' associations from fourteen different schools.
He submitted the 4,900 signatures collected through them alongside the draft.
"P-please wait a moment."
The clerk's eyes shook violently.
I heard he brought ten thousand signatures to the Transportation Department last time and dragged the Planning and Coordination Director all the way down here!
Is this guy really just a normal citizen?
At this rate, he's basically the mayor already!
At that very moment.
Kim Si-jun and his younger siblings were utterly dazed by the sudden whirlwind of changes.
"Let's get you all to the hospital first."
A woman who was both a member of the parents' association and a licensed social worker took the children to a hospital to get them examined and treated.
Next was the temporary protective housing provided through a private arrangement.
It was an older but spacious and clean two-room apartment.
Two bedrooms, each with a bed.
To accommodate the other two siblings, high-quality mattress toppers donated by the parents' association were brought in.
"We bought these for housewarming guests when we moved, but we don't use them anymore."
Fresh blankets and pillows arrived as well.
From then on, a relentless stream of supplies began pouring into the apartment.
When an enemy like the parents' association turned into an ally, their formidable offensive power transformed into warm bedding and clothing.
"My kids wore these when they were younger, but I think they'll fit your third or youngest sibling perfectly."
"I bought this for my nephew, but..."
"I bought the wrong size so my kid never wore it. It's brand new."
The bathroom was stocked with body wash, shampoo, soap, and facial cleansers.
The social worker quietly pulled aside the second child, a twelve-year-old girl, to give her feminine hygiene products, along with a gentle explanation of how and where to get more.
While the refrigerator, washing machine, and air conditioner were already included with the apartment, additional furniture for the children quickly filled the space.
"We pooled some money together from the parents' association."
Desks, bookshelves, and chairs.
They even received a computer donated by a local father.
"I just upgraded to a new one, so I didn't need this anymore. The specs are still pretty solid."
And spoons, chopsticks, cups, bowls, frying pans, pots, a microwave, and an air fryer—all the essential kitchenware and cooking tools were provided.
The refrigerator was practically bursting at the seams with food.
There was soybean paste stew freshly brewed by the president of an elementary school parents' association.
Warm brown rice, soy-braised beef, and various side dishes.
"..."
Kim Si-jun sat at the dining table with his siblings, his expression completely blank. Before them lay a meal far richer and more heartfelt than any convenience store bento or instant ramen they had ever eaten.
Yet, amid all the bustling activity in the apartment, Lee Yun-hyeok was nowhere to be seen.
For some administrative and legislative matters brooked no delay.
Meanwhile, rumors about a certain "psycho aspiring politician" were spreading like wildfire among the City Hall employees.
Some citizen drafted an entire ordinance by himself!
He even exercised the Ordinance Enactment/Abolition Request Right! He gathered forty-nine hundred signatures!
I've never actually seen anyone use that right before.
But Yun-hyeok was far from satisfied.
Even after the request was filed, City Hall could take up to twenty days just to verify the validity of the signatures.
Naturally, they didn't have that kind of time.
"There are still many children out there like Kim Si-jun. We must ensure this ordinance passes the plenary session and goes into effect as quickly as possible."
Yun-hyeok met with the president of the Joint Parents' Association of the 14 Schools.
"Even at this very moment, children in similar situations are likely being tempted to transport drugs."
"W-what should we do?!"
"We must pressure City Hall so they don't drag their feet on the verification process."
The method was simple.
Democracy, after all, was a numbers game.
The 4,900 signatures were never the full extent of the parents' association's power. It was merely the bare minimum required, gathered quickly to save time.
The student body alone numbered 9,800. The number of parents exceeded 15,000.
"We hereby deliver the joint statement of the Parents' Association."
The next day, the president of the Joint Parents' Association gathered in front of City Hall with the association's executives.
The atmosphere was thick with tension.
A mere high school sophomore had been driven by misery to resort to illegal drug trafficking, allowing narcotics to circulate near schools, endangering other students, and leaving parents trembling with anxiety.
A searing rage simmered against the administrative incompetence of the city authorities, who had done absolutely nothing while things reached this point.
The president of the association read the statement aloud.
"Upon learning the tragic story of the student arrested for transporting narcotics, we, the Parents' Association, could not contain our grief and indignation. It is utterly unbelievable that such vulnerable students existed in this city, in the very schools our children attend, and that City Hall has stood by and neglected them!"
"When we raised inquiries regarding the issue of juvenile drug offenders, what did the city authorities tell us? 'Inquire with the Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education,' they said. 'Inquire with the police,' they said. But what was the reality?!"
"That child was a subject of Mir City Hall's welfare system—a child Mir City Hall was responsible for! In the end, it was not City Hall, but an ordinary citizen who uncovered this and resolved it! If Mayor Baek Hyeong-guk has even a shred of conscience left, we urge him to immediately proceed with the review of the ordinance initiated by citizen policy proposer Lee Yun-hyeok through the Ordinance Enactment/Abolition Request Right! The Joint Parents' Association will hold the city strictly accountable for this situation..."
Present at the scene were not only reporters from the local *Mir News*, but also journalists from major national newspapers and terrestrial broadcasting networks.
For a spineless coward like Mayor Baek Hyeong-guk—who had panicked over a simple complaint from Seongil Transport because he "hated making a scene"—this was a situation dire enough to make him faint.
"I will personally..."
Standing before the crowd, Yun-hyeok decided to put on a bit of a show.
"...take this ordinance directly to the Mayor and have him review it."
In politics, when you seize the upper hand, you must act boldly.
With the draft ordinance in hand and the cameras trailing behind, he charged into City Hall!
What on earth was happening to the peaceful(?) city of Mir!
Mayor Baek Hyeong-guk broke into a cold sweat at the unprecedented spectacle unfolding in the City Hall plaza.
Baek Hyeong-guk had heard about the student arrested for transporting drugs, and he knew the parents' association was anxious and enraged over the matter.
But to Baek Hyeong-guk, as long as the arrows of blame weren't pointed at him, it wasn't his problem.
'Direct your inquiries to the judicial authorities or the Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education.'
In fact, Baek Hyeong-guk had instructed his staff to respond exactly that way. And wasn't that correct? School issues fell under the jurisdiction of the Office of Education. Mir City wasn't a metropolitan city, so it didn't have its own independent school board. If they wanted to complain, they should complain to the Gyeonggi Province Office of Education!
And whether that drug runner went to a juvenile detention center or was released on probation was a matter for the prosecution, not City Hall, right?
So go ask them!
...To Baek Hyeong-guk, who had maintained this comfortable stance, the current situation felt like a sudden natural disaster.
You're saying the root cause is a failure of the Welfare Department and the city's administrative incompetence?
And because of that, some obsessive-compulsive madman drafted an ordinance by himself, gathered forty-nine hundred signatures to exercise the Ordinance Enactment/Abolition Request Right, and is now marching on City Hall with fifteen thousand parents and national TV cameras?!
"Mayor!"
The terrified Chief of Staff and Director Kim Min-cheol burst into the mayoral office.
"Lee Yun-hyeok is heading up here right now!"
"B-block him! Block him at all costs!"
The Mayor, terrified of being caught on camera in such a compromising position, shrieked.
"We can't! We must not block him!"
"The atmosphere out there is not something we can just block!"
"If we do, you'll be crucified for refusing to communicate!"
The aides didn't dare try to hold back such a massive wave of angry citizens.
"Then tell him I'm not here!"
"Mayor!"