Gwanak-gu Expands and Revamps Online Gwanakcheong (聽) in the Post-Corona Era

From the 12th, Online Gwanakcheong Users Receive 'Gwanak Sarang Gift Certificate' Event...Direct Replies from District Mayor Required for Comments...300 People Agree on Department Review Criteria...Threshold Lowered to 10 People

[Asia Economy Reporter Jongil Park] Gwanak-gu (Mayor Park Junhee) has expanded and reorganized the ‘Online Gwanakcheong (聽),’ a platform that allows participation in district administration 24/7, 365 days a year, in line with the post-COVID-19 era.

Online Gwanakcheong consists of five menus: Gwanakcheong (聽), Policy Participation, Resident Participatory Budgeting, Manifesto & Pledges, and Resident Autonomy Meetings. It is a 365-day direct democracy online platform where any resident can freely participate without restrictions of time or place.

Mayor Park established the caf?-style mayor’s office called ‘Gwanakcheong’ in November 2018, shortly after taking office, as the first of its kind nationwide, to realize ‘impressive administration’ by allowing residents to comfortably meet the mayor and directly voice their opinions.

Then, in July 2019, marking his first anniversary in office, he newly launched Online Gwanakcheong, operating it as an online communication channel where residents can participate in district administration 365 days a year.

Due to the suspension of the ‘Gwanakcheong (聽)’ operation caused by the spread of COVID-19, the district prepared this expansion and reorganization plan to more broadly accept residents’ opinions through ‘Online Gwanakcheong (聽),’ communicate with residents, and create a Gwanak-gu together.

First, an event to revitalize Online Gwanakcheong will be held. Starting April 12, from May onward, every month, five residents who make the most policy proposals and two residents who post the most comments will receive a Gwanak Love Gift Certificate worth 10,000 won at the beginning of each month. Detailed information about the event can be found on the district’s website or through the Online Gwanakcheong popup window.

The threshold for review criteria when submitting opinions has also been lowered. The previous standard, which required at least 30 supporters within 30 days for a resident’s opinion proposal to be reviewed by the department, has been adjusted to 10 supporters, and the response period from the relevant department has been shortened from 30 days to 15 days.

Additionally, the requirement for the mayor to directly respond to proposals has been significantly lowered from 1,000 comments to 300 comments. The previously rigid ‘Policy Opinion Collection’ section has been renamed to ‘Gwanak-gu Asks!’ to make it more accessible to everyone.

Furthermore, the ‘Cooperative Gwanak’ section, which was separately managed on the Gwanak-gu website and had poor accessibility, has been integrated into Online Gwanakcheong to allow residents easier and more convenient use.

Meanwhile, over 150 diverse resident proposals have been received through Online Gwanakcheong’s policy participation so far. The district expects that this reorganization will further activate Online Gwanakcheong and reflect various resident opinions in district administration.

Park Junhee, Mayor of Gwanak-gu, said, “Since the launch of the 7th local government, with the mindset of ‘Our problems have answers on the ground’ (Umunhyundap), I have always prioritized communication and skinship with residents by closely monitoring the field.” He added, “Although physical distance from residents has increased due to COVID-19, we will listen more attentively to residents’ voices through various methods such as Online Gwanakcheong to bring our hearts closer.”