Why Did Park Gang-su, Mayor of Mapo-gu, Establish the 'New Mapo Promotion Team' and the 'Better Mapo Promotion Team'?

[Seoul District News] Mayor Park Sets Promises and Direction for 8th Term, Focuses on System Improvement for Efficient Administration... Mayor Lee Seongheon of Seodaemun District Holds First Communication with Seodaemun Private and Family Daycare Association... Mayor Kim Taewoo of Gangseo District Grants Special Promotion Incentives to High-Performing Officials... Mayor Mun Heonil of Guro District Confirms 8th Term Slogan 'Warm Companionship, Changing Guro'... Mayor Kim Gilsung of Jung District Begins Active Communication through 'Resident Social Meetings'

The inauguration ceremony of the 'New Mapo Promotion Team' and the 'Better Mapo Promotion Team' held on the 13th (center: Park Gang-su, Mayor of Mapo District)

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Mapo-gu (Mayor Park Gang-su) has begun organizational restructuring to promote the promises and current projects of the 8th elected administration, establishing new organizations to review the direction and feasibility of these projects.

The district announced that it has set up two temporary organizations, the ‘New Mapo Promotion Team’ and the ‘Better Mapo Promotion Team,’ which began operations on July 12. Through this, the plan is to establish the vision and proper policy direction for the 8th elected administration and prepare an efficient district administration plan centered on residents.

Park Gang-su, Mayor of Mapo-gu, explained the background of the launch, saying, “Considering the future work process, it is much more efficient to spend 3 hours thinking and 30 minutes working than to spend 30 minutes thinking and 3 hours working. Since good results come from good plans, we will create an optimized blueprint to lead the next four years through these two promotion teams.”

He added, “Unnecessary financial expenditures unrelated to improving residents’ lives will be promptly organized, and the budget saved here will be actively invested in welfare policies. These two promotion teams will take on that role.”

The two promotion teams were established directly under the Deputy Mayor.

The ‘New Mapo Promotion Team’ is responsible for setting realistic, resident-centered pledge projects and district administration directions. The head of the Planning and Budget Division leads the team, which includes welfare and technical staff members with experience in project areas closely related to residents’ daily lives. They handle everything from setting project directions to discovering and planning resident-focused projects and analyzing budget scales.

The ‘Better Mapo Promotion Team,’ led by the Audit Officer, plans to prepare improvements and supplements through feasibility reviews of ongoing major projects.

Lee Seong-heon, Mayor of Seodaemun-gu, recently spent time communicating with childcare officials by attending the July monthly meeting of the Private and Home Daycare Center Association held in the district office’s main conference room.

This meeting gathers directors from about 60 private and home daycare centers in the area to share opinions on educational curricula and operational plans.

As the first meeting held since the 8th elected administration, surprise events such as ‘Wishes to the Mayor’ and ‘Paper Airplane Flying’ were arranged, drawing attention.

Members candidly expressed their difficulties regarding the childcare situation in the local community, and Mayor Lee listened attentively and showed empathy.

Mayor Lee Seong-heon emphasized, “The fundamental function of childcare and the solid foundation of infant and toddler care are crucial for improving future educational achievements, making the role of daycare centers very important.”

He also mentioned, “We will expand communication with childcare staff by utilizing online video conferencing programs.” The intention is to increase opportunities for meetings while reducing travel time to avoid interfering with childcare duties.

In the subsequent meeting, agenda items included ▲regular safety inspections of daycare centers during the summer season ▲health management for infants and toddlers in summer ▲support for teaching materials and educational tools to enhance safe childcare and creativity among young children.

Mayor Lee Seong-heon stated, “Under close cooperation with the Daycare Center Association, we will strive to ensure that children in Seodaemun grow up healthier and happier.”

Kim Tae-woo, Mayor of Gangseo-gu, Seoul, presented the direction and policy vision for the 8th elected administration’s district governance on the 15th.

On this day, Mayor Kim expressed his commitment to district governance during the ‘First Regular Staff Assembly of the 8th Elected Administration’ held at the Gangseo Residents’ Hall, saying, “We will create a new Gangseo-gu through proactive administration for residents and fostering a clean organizational culture.”

Mayor Kim reaffirmed the five core pledges promised to Gangseo residents: ▲transforming the entire Gangseo area into Magok ▲making Gangseo a great place to raise children ▲walking together with socially vulnerable groups ▲a Gangseo rich in culture and arts ▲a safe Gangseo free from hate and hazardous facilities, promising to achieve them without fail.

He also stated that he would eliminate unnecessary customs and elements to create a clean and comfortable working environment.

To this end, he emphasized again that internal corruption that may arise during work processes will be prevented in advance to increase administrative transparency and build a clean Gangseo-gu.

In particular, Mayor Kim said, “In a rapidly changing administrative environment, we will provide incentives such as special promotion systems so that employees can carry out creative and proactive administration,” and urged, “Please do your best in your respective duties with meticulous administration that misses no detail and a spirit of serving residents.”

Meanwhile, after the staff assembly, the district invited Dr. Ryu Dong-hak, a scholar of humanities and destiny studies and director of Hyemyeong Academy, to conduct education on the attitudes public officials should have and improving integrity.

Guro-gu (Mayor Moon Heon-il) has finalized the slogan for the 8th elected administration as ‘Warm Companionship, Changing Guro.’

This slogan reflects Mayor Moon Heon-il’s will to communicate on-site and lead changes in Guro-gu together with all residents.

The district administration goals to embody this will are ▲advanced industrial city ▲empathetic and communicative Guro ▲a good place to study ▲safe and healthy Guro ▲Guro with many jobs ▲Guro where everyone lives well and fairly.

Before finalizing the slogan, Guro-gu held a slogan contest for residents from the 20th to the 27th of last month. Afterwards, an additional contest was held for all district office staff, receiving a total of 320 submissions.

The transition committee and Guro-gu selected 10 award-winning works, including excellence and encouragement prizes, through internal review.

The district plans to develop designs fitting the slogan and use the final slogan in various district promotional materials and internal documents.

Mayor Moon Heon-il said, “We will fulfill the miracle of Guro in response to the support of residents who want change in Guro-gu,” adding, “We will do our best to create a happy Guro where no one is left out and everyone wants to live.”

“We will sincerely listen to the voices of all residents!”

Kim Gil-seong, Mayor of Jung-gu, said this at a residents’ meeting held on the 14th in Jungnim-dong, marking the start of active communication efforts.

Seoul Jung-gu announced on the 15th that the mayor has begun ‘Dong (neighborhood) Residents’ Meetings’ where he visits residents directly.

Following Mayor Kim’s governance philosophy emphasizing ‘communication’ as the top value, a dialogue with residents was arranged before finalizing the 8th elected administration’s pledge projects.

The residents’ meetings will be held over eight days from the 14th in Jungnim-dong, touring 15 neighborhoods until the 25th.

The meetings serve to announce the new start of the 8th elected administration, share major policy directions with residents, and provide opportunities for residents to ask and receive answers directly from the new mayor about their concerns and wishes.

The district is making efforts to ensure diverse opinions by inviting neighborhood leaders, members of various resident groups, as well as housewives, youth, merchants, and residents from all walks of life.

At the first meeting in Jungnim-dong, about 70 residents attended and discussed topics such as ▲support for children’s education ▲redevelopment around Chungjeongno, while in Hoehyeon-dong, questions and answers were exchanged regarding ▲pedestrian crosswalk installation ▲apartment reconstruction.

On this day, Mayor Kim also received a ‘Residents’ Heart Collection’ gathering the hopes and expectations of residents for the 8th elected administration of Jung-gu.

Kim Gil-seong, Mayor of Jung-gu, emphasized, “This meeting is the first step to clarify the district administration goal of ‘United Jung-gu, Together Jung-gu,’” adding, “We will carefully review and reflect the collected residents’ opinions to firmly lay the foundation for policies leading the 8th elected administration.”