CHAPTER I GENERAL PROVISIONS Article 1 (Purpose) The purpose of this Ordinance is to prescribe matters necessary to protect citizens' rights and to provide support in legal services for citizens with respect to all kinds of legal matters occurring in their civic life.

Article 2 (Details of Support) The Mayor of the Seoul Metropolitan Government (hereinafter referred to as the "Mayor") may execute the following projects to protect citizens' rights and to provide systematic support in legal services for citizens:
1. Operation of the Seoul Metropolitan Government Legal Advice Center for Citizens;
2. Operation of the Seoul Metropolitan Government Public Interest Lawyers' Group;
3. Management of the Seoul Metropolitan Government Village Lawyers;
4. Other projects that the Mayor deems necessary to support legal services for citizens.

CHAPTER II SEOUL METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT LEGAL ADVICE CENTER FOR CITIZENS Article 3 (Legal Advice Center for Citizens) The Mayor may establish and operate the Seoul Metropolitan Government Legal Advice Center for Citizens (hereinafter referred to as the "Advice Center") to provide legal consultation service to citizens, and if necessary, another name may be chosen and used instead thereof.

Article 4 (Location of Advice Center) The Advice Center shall be located inside the Seoul City Hall, and if necessary, additional advice centers may be established at separate locations.

Article 5 (Scope of Consultations) The scope of legal consultations (hereinafter referred to as "consultations") shall be as follows:
1. Matters concerning cases on administrative, civil, criminal, and household affairs;
2. Other matters related to civic life, such as real estate, establishment of businesses, and human rights, etc.

Article 6 (Persons Eligible for Consultation) (1) Persons eligible to seek consultation shall be the citizens, businesspersons, workers, etc. of Seoul Metropolitan City, who have their addresses and residences in Seoul Metropolitan City
(2) Consultations shall be provided preferentially to citizens of the low income bracket, such as eligible recipients under the National Basic Living Securities Act, disabled persons, and children of families without parents.

Article 7 (Operation of Advice Center) (1) In principle, consultations shall be held by visiting the Advice Center, and consultations in writing, Internet online consultations, or consultation visits, etc. may also be conducted with a consultation at the Advice Center.
(2) The Advice Center located inside the Seoul City Hall shall be in operation from Monday to Friday excluding public holidays, and the business hours shall be from 10:00 to 12:00 A.M. and from 2:00 to 5:00 P.M., however, other advice centers may be operated by setting different business hours depending on the circumstances.

Article 8 (Legal Consultation Officers, etc.) (1) Legal consultation officers shall be appointed by the Mayor from among the public interest lawyers under Article 13 or persons who have abundant knowledge and experience in administrative law and dispute mediation.
(2) A chief consultation officer shall be appointed for the operation, support, etc. of the Advice Center, and he/she shall be the head of the department in charge of the duties of the Advice Center, and an official of Grade V in charge of the affairs of the Advice Center shall be appointed as the executive secretary for the operation.

Article 9 (Processing of Consultations) (1) In providing consultation services by visiting a site, the reply shall be given at the site in principle: Provided, That matters which cannot be answered at the site and require further examination or matters requiring consultation with related departments shall be replied in writing or through telephone.
(2) A written or Internet online consultation shall be replied in detail including the related laws and regulations through a written document or the Internet online in a manner that is easily understandable by the person who has sought the consultation.
(3) The chief consultation officer may inform related departments or agencies of important reference details on administration discovered in the course of providing consultation service for those who sought the consultation to be reflected in the administration.
(4) Legal consultation officers may perform supporting activities to settle disputes related to consultations.

Article 10 (Maintenance of Records) In order to maintain and manage a precise record on the operation of the Advice Center, the chief consultation officer shall keep records on the receipt and processing of requests for legal consultations, which shall be substituted by a computer file if they are digitized.

Article 11 (Allowances, etc.) (1) The Mayor may pay consultation fees and allowance within the budget, such as travel expenses, to legal consultation officers who are not public officials.
(2) No citizen who seeks consultation shall pay any expense concerning the consultation.

Article 12 (Detailed Rule of Operation) Except as otherwise expressly provided for in this Ordinance, matters necessary for the operation of the Advice Center shall be determined by the Mayor.

CHAPTER III SEOUL METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT PUBLIC INTEREST LAWYERS' GROUP AND SEOUL METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT VILLAGE LAWYERS Article 13 (Operation of Public Interest Lawyers' Group) (1) In order to prepare a passage for lawyers' and legal experts' social contribution and to provide citizens with legal services, the Mayor may operate the Seoul Metropolitan Government Public Interest Lawyers' Group (hereinafter referred to as the "Public Interest Lawyers' Group").
(2) The purpose of the Public Interest Lawyers' Group is to perform legal consultations for citizens and activities to support municipal administration closely related to civic life.
(3) Where a director belonging to an office, headquarter, or bureau of Seoul Metropolitan Government intends to receive any support from the Public Interest Lawyers' Group concerning the municipal administration, he/she shall have prior consultation with the head of the department in charge of the operation of the Public Interest Lawyers' Group.
(4) A member of the Public Interest Lawyers' Group who has participated in the municipal administration may be paid an allowance or travel expenses within the budget.
(5) Except as prescribed in this Ordinance, necessary matters, such as the operation of the Public Interest Lawyers' Group, the qualifications and term of office of a lawyer belonging thereto (hereinafter referred to as "public interest lawyer"), and the commission and dismissal of them, shall be separately determined by the Mayor.

Article 14 (Operation of Village Lawyer System) (1) The Mayor may designate the activity area of each public interest lawyer.
(2) A public interest lawyer in paragraph (1) shall be referred to as a Seoul Metropolitan Government village lawyer (hereinafter referred to as "village lawyer").

Article 15 (Functions of Village Lawyers) A village lawyer is eligible to perform the following legal services in the relevant area:
1. Legal consultation for citizens;
2. Education on the laws related to civic life;
3. Provision of other legal support to citizens of the relevant area.

Article 16 (Consultations, etc. with Village Lawyers) (1) In principle, consultations shall be held by visiting a Dong Community Center, however, consultations may be conducted at a separate location if necessary, and consultations through telephone or electronic mail may also be conducted with the in-person consultation.
(2) A village lawyer may perform supporting activities to settle disputes related to consultations and provide education on the laws related to the life of the citizens in the relevant area.

Article 17 (Application Mutatis Mutandis) Articles 5, 6, 10 and 11 shall apply mutatis mutandis to the management of village lawyers; and except as prescribed in this Ordinance, matters necessary for the management of village lawyers shall be separately determined by the Mayor.

Article 18 (Official Commendation) (1) The Mayor may grant an official commendation to a public interest lawyer who has made an outstanding contribution in providing support in the legal services for citizens.
(2) Detailed procedures under paragraph (1) shall be governed by the Seoul Metropolitan Government Ordinance on Official Commendation.

ADDENDA <Ordinance No. 6058, Jan. 7, 2016>
Article 1 (Enforcement Date)
This Ordinance shall enter into force on the date of its promulgation.
Article 2 (Repeal of other Ordinance)
Seoul Metropolitan Government Ordinance on Establishment and Management of Free Legal Advice Center shall be repealed.
Article 3 (Transitional Measures)
Legal consultation officers, Public Interest Lawyers' Group, village lawyers, etc. having been commissioned as at the time this Ordinance enters into force shall be deemed commissioned under this Ordinance.