Which Seoul District Mayor Sweats It Out Cleaning with Their Own Hands?

Ryu Kyung-gi, Jungnang District Mayor, Starts Street Cleaning Immediately After Inauguration of the 7th Term, Marks 109th Cleanup; Residents Join, Establishing 'Ryu Kyung-gi Jungnang Mayor' as a Signature Brand... In the 8th Term, Kim Kyung-ho of Gwangjin and Lee Sung-heon of Seodaemun Also Join the 'Cleaning Mayors' Ranks

Ryu Kyung-gi, Jungnang-gu Mayor (center), First Street Cleaning of the 8th Elected Term

[Asia Economy Reporter Jong-il Park] Among Seoul’s district mayors, the number of ‘cleaning mayors’ is gradually increasing.

A district mayor is a local representative worker elected by the residents to serve them. The best way for such a mayor to serve the community personally is by cleaning.

Among Seoul’s district mayors, Ryu Kyung-gi, the mayor of Jungnang District, is a representative figure who has taken to cleaning the local streets.

Mayor Ryu began street cleaning immediately after being elected as the 8th term mayor of Jungnang District in 2018, and it has now become his brand, having exceeded 100 sessions.

Now, neighborhood leaders such as tong and ban chiefs also join Mayor Ryu in early morning street cleaning.

Ryu Kyung-gi, mayor of Jungnang District, started his first cleaning of the 8th term on July 6. After remodeling the Jungnang District Office building neatly and creating a lawn plaza in the district square, Mayor Ryu, who has a special interest in tidiness, chose street cleaning as the first step toward making Jungnang the cleanest district in Seoul.

Mayor Ryu’s ‘street cleaning’ has become a representative brand along with ‘reading 1,000 books to preschool children’ and ‘neighborhood visits for communication with residents,’ securing an overwhelming victory by more than 10,000 votes in the difficult 8th term election and solidifying his position as a re-elected mayor.

On this day, a total of 20 residents, including tong and ban chiefs and heads of functional organizations, swept a total of 570 meters around Myeonmok 5-dong.

Ryu Kyung-gi, mayor of Jungnang District, said, “Today marks the 109th time for alley cleaning, and the first since the 8th term began. I thank the residents who worked hard with me from early morning. I will continue to sweep and clean every corner to open the morning of Jungnang District, making it the cleanest and most livable neighborhood in Seoul.”

Kim Kyung-ho, Mayor of Gwangjin-gu (center), street cleaning

Since the 8th term began, Kim Kyung-ho, mayor of Gwangjin District, and Lee Sung-heon, mayor of Seodaemun District, have also stepped forward to join.

Kim Kyung-ho, mayor of Gwangjin District, started on August 18 a tour of 15 neighborhoods within the district to conduct a thorough cleanup of old garbage in every alley with residents.

Mayor Kim plans to conduct ‘alley cleaning with residents’ every two weeks by neighborhood, creating a clean living environment that residents can feel and providing a place for communication by listening to residents’ stories on site.

The cleaning sections were prioritized in busy areas such as food alleys, traditional markets, multi-use facilities, places with frequent illegal dumping, and areas with habitual complaints.

On the first alley cleaning held on the 18th of last month in Hwayang-dong, about 40 residents, including Saemaul leaders, volunteer camp members, residents’ autonomy committee, tong chiefs’ council, and the Konkuk University Food Street merchants’ association, joined the cleaning from 7 a.m.

Mayor Kim participated in the cleanup, starting from Cheongchun Tturak, where cigarette butt complaints are frequent, moving about 600 meters along the Konkuk University Food Street section, collecting cigarette butts and old garbage left unattended, directly engaging in street cleaning.

Kim Kyung-ho, mayor of Gwangjin District, said, “Providing residents with a safe and clean environment is of utmost importance. I will continue to roam the alleys with residents to create a pleasant Gwangjin and listen to voices from the field to reflect them in policies.”

Earlier, on the 13th of last month, Mayor Kim and 35 Gwangjin District volunteers visited Bangbae 2-dong in Seocho District to volunteer for flood recovery. Mayor Kim and the volunteers immediately began removing muddy water from six flooded households and stores, clearing mud and trash from the floors.

Seongheon Lee, Mayor of Seodaemun District, Cleans Streets at Dawn

Lee Sung-heon, mayor of Seodaemun District, will work on cleaning sites about 10 times from September through December this year.

The purpose is to empathize with frontline workers of district administration, listen to their difficulties, and strengthen communication on site.

Mayor Lee’s first schedule was on the 6th of this month, starting at 5 a.m. for about an hour, cleaning about 330 meters around Sinchon Myeongmul-gil and Yonsei-ro together with sanitation workers.

He will continue through the end of the year to join activities such as alley cleaning, public restroom cleaning, leaf sweeping, waste collection, illegal dumping control, snow removal, and cleaning patrol activities.

It is unusual for a local government head to regularly work on cleaning sites rather than as a one-time event.

Earlier, on the first day of the 8th term, July 1 this year, Mayor Lee visited Inwang Market Road at dawn to encourage sanitation workers and swept fallen leaves on the street after heavy rain, participating in cleaning activities together.

Lee Sung-heon, mayor of Seodaemun District, said, “I will work hard to be a help, not a hindrance, in cleaning work. I expect this to be an opportunity to listen to residents’ vivid voices on site and gain ideas for district administration.”

These mayors have received positive evaluations as they personally serve their communities and residents join them. Accordingly, it is expected that other district mayors will also join the ranks of ‘cleaning mayors.’