Since Kim Kyung-ho's inauguration as district mayor, the atmosphere at the district office has improved significantly, with quick decision-making, rejection of unnecessary formalities in administration, and a sincere care for employees being widely recognized.
Since the inauguration of Kim Kyung-ho, the 8th elected mayor of Gwangjin District, the most notable change in Gwangjin District is that the employees' expressions have become brighter.
Kim, a former civil service exam passer who served as head of the Transportation Headquarters and Welfare Office, rose to the rank of Grade 1 (Manager) as the Secretary-General of the Seoul Metropolitan Council, and after retirement, also served as president of the Seoul Agricultural and Marine Products Corporation.
As a recognized skilled public official, during his time as a Seoul city executive and deputy mayor of an autonomous district, he was known for his tough and relentless style as a public servant.
However, after being elected as the 8th elected mayor of Gwangjin District through the June 1 local elections last year and taking office, he has shown many changes that have drawn attention.
In particular, he transformed into a mayor who pays great attention to district office employees, and anyone among the staff openly says, "Our mayor is really great."
On the first day of his election last year, Mayor Kim visited the Gwangjin District labor union office and promised, "I will be your good friend," receiving applause.
This first step by Mayor Kim was interpreted as showing how important the district office employees are to him.
Since then, Mayor Kim has told department employees, "I will be a reliable senior and supporter for you. So if you have any difficulties, feel free to talk to me anytime. If it’s hard to talk to me, you can also talk to the labor union that works for your welfare."
This sincere approach by Mayor Kim has been conveyed to the employees.
Mayor Kim also frequently shares this mindset with the executives.
On the 23rd, Gwangjin District held its first regular assembly of the year. In the past, it would have ended with a stiff mayor’s address and a few events.
However, this event featured an unannounced session where executives made pledges, employees asked anonymous questions, and the mayor answered in a communication talk concert format.
Mayor Kim responded on the spot to questions he could answer and held a discussion at the executive meeting on the 24th for those he could not.
Employees submitted over 40 requests such as "Please raise welfare points to the level of Jungnang District and Songpa District," "Please change the cafeteria vendor," "Please eliminate lunch for department heads," and "Please replace the duty phone with AI."
Mayor Kim urged, "Please carefully consider the anonymous opinions submitted by employees the day before and promptly inform them of the measures."
This sincere movement by Mayor Kim, along with his quick judgment and his approach of avoiding showy work to ease employees’ minds, is evaluated as a factor that has brightened employees’ expressions.
A department head A in Gwangjin District said, "Since Mayor Kim’s inauguration, the atmosphere is so good that employees have difficulty adjusting."
Another executive B said, "Ultimately, the people who work for the residents are the employees, and if they are valued and cared for, they will be happy and work well. It seems Kim Kyung-ho, mayor of Gwangjin District, has done this properly."
The future steps of Mayor Kim Kyung-ho, united with employees and residents, are a matter of greater interest.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
