O Tae-wan, Uiryeong County Governor, Got 'Scolded' by Fearless MZ Generation Public Officials?

"Taewan-i is Curious" ... Uiryeong-gun Saenggakieum Concert Gains Attention

Oh County Governor's 100 Days in Office, 'Empathy Talk' with 100 Employees

O Tae-wan, the governor of Uiryeong-gun, Gyeongnam, is breaking a sweat answering questions from fearless MZ generation public officials at the Saenggakieum Concert. [Provided by Uiryeong-gun Office]

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Wook] “Would you like to live once as Hyun Bin? Or serve as county governor one more time? This is the county governor's balance game. Please make your choice...”

The so-called ‘Ieumi’ (employees below grade 8, basically MZ generation public officials), often said to have lost their fear, were bold, and Oh Tae-wan, the county governor of Uiryeong, was sweating nervously and got quite a hard time.

Uiryeong County held a special event to mark the 100th day since Governor Oh Tae-wan took office. One hundred employees below grade 8 and Governor Oh engaged in a talk ‘showdown’.

On the 17th, the ‘Saenggak Ieum Concert’ was held on the outdoor stage of the Uiryeong Uibyeong Museum as an expanded version of ‘Saenggak Ieum Day,’ which was planned to develop ideas for the ‘Uiryeong Revival Movement’ that keeps gaining momentum.

Hosted by comedian Jung Beom-gyun, the event was dominated by the active participation of the ‘Ieumi.’ ‘Ieumi’ refers to employees below grade 8 who have new ideas and open minds; they attend the weekly ‘Saenggak Ieum Day’ meetings and serve as an ‘idea bank.’

The Ieumi attached their wishes for the governor on the ‘Ieum Tree’ and proceeded with questions. Personal questions followed one after another, such as the secret to his thick hair, favorite restaurant recommendations, and golf skills.

Governor Oh responded cheerfully, saying, “My thick hair is natural · I don’t want to hear complaints from restaurant owners, so I can’t disclose the names of favorite restaurants · I like playing with golf balls · And I fight quite well,” creating a pleasant atmosphere.

Serious questions and answers about Uiryeong’s county administration were also exchanged. Hong Eo-rok, a staff member of the Planning and Budget Office, suggested, “If we give out more ‘carrots,’ the organization will be more energized. I hope rewards are increased.” Kim Tae-hyun from the Agricultural Technology Division proposed, “It’s not easy for children in Uiryeong to learn foreign languages. Along with gifted education, we should develop specialized foreign language programs for elementary, middle, and high schools to create word-of-mouth among parents.”

Governor Oh replied, “That’s a good question I also agree with,” adding, “The county is purchasing the current education office site to plan various education-related projects for specialized elementary, middle, and high school programs.”

In the ‘Exciting Balance Game’ to find a soulmate for Governor Oh Tae-wan’s spirit, Park Ji-min from the Urban Regeneration Division was the final winner.

At the end of the ‘Saenggak Ieum Concert,’ a video was shown featuring new public officials expressing their hopes for Governor Oh Tae-wan and their first resolutions as public servants. In line with the theme ‘Fearless Newcomers,’ a strong message reflecting their challenging spirit was delivered to the governor.

Governor Oh said, “It was a blessed day. I will play the role of a father of the hometown for you, who are like my children,” adding, “Bureaucratic formalism and unnecessary document-centered reporting do not help Uiryeong’s development. A single ‘small idea’ that can sprout innovation can change Uiryeong’s destiny. Please feel free to knock on the governor’s office door like today.”