The purpose of this article is to analyze the institution ‘welfare ombudsman’ in South Korea, in order to suggest policy implications to raise the accountability and responsibility of welfare service provision. To the end, this article first discusses the theories on ombudsman and welfare ombudsman, and then formulates the analytical framework to analyze the practical situation of welfare ombudsman. The next chapter explores the institutional arrangement, practical operation, underlying problems, and performance of welfare ombudsman in South Korea, conducting the case study on the Daegu Metropolitan City Welfare Ombudsman. The final chapter suggests alternatives to make welfare ombudsman contribute to enhancing the accountability and responsibility of welfare administration.