Jungnang-gu's Representative Communication Channel 'Jungnang Masil' Listens Directly to Residents
Marks 200th Session on November 1 at Sinhyeon Middle School, Engaging with Parents on 'Education'
Since 2018, Met 6,772 Residents to Address Issues and Promote Local Development
‘Jungnang Masil,’ which started in 2018 to directly hear the vivid voices of residents on-site, reached its 200th session on November 1, 2023. Over five years, it has met with 6,772 residents, and Jungnang Masil has firmly established itself as a representative communication channel of Jungnang-gu (Mayor Ryu Gyeong-gi).
Jungnang Masil is a communication platform where the mayor visits neighborhoods casually like going for a stroll and approaches residents comfortably to have open and honest conversations. It is conducted in a format of listening attentively to residents’ stories on various topics such as education, economy, welfare, transportation, and health, and providing immediate answers to their questions.
The 200th Jungnang Masil was held at Sinhyeon Middle School with the theme of ‘education.’ Mayor Ryu Gyeong-gi toured Sinhyeon Middle School and freely exchanged opinions with about 20 people including parents, school operation committee members, and the principal regarding current issues and future improvement directions of the school.
On this day, Mayor Ryu Gyeong-gi of Jungnang-gu emphasized the importance of Jungnang Masil, saying, “It is a valuable time of communication to put our heads together with residents to find solutions to local problems in order to make Jungnang-gu a better place to live.”
Over the past five years, Jungnang Masil has been held more than three times a month to continue communication with residents and has consistently worked to find solutions. As a result, the processing rate of suggestions received on-site reached 87%. Suggestions that can be addressed immediately are handled on the same day, and for those requiring more time, the entire process is shared to ensure quick completion. The processing process and results of all suggestions are disclosed on the district office website to satisfy residents’ right to know and enhance administrative accountability.
A resident who spoke about the difficulties of households affected by flood damage during the rainy season at Jungnang Masil sent a thank-you message via the mayor’s direct text number, saying, “I am truly grateful that the water-blocking panels were installed immediately in the afternoon and that you came to the neighborhood to listen to the situations of other households.”
Mayor Ryu Gyeong-gi listened carefully to residents’ inconveniences throughout the region. In response to concerns about the high risk of accidents when pedestrians cross the street, sidewalks were repaired and crosswalks installed to improve the pedestrian environment. Regarding complaints about traffic difficulties on steep roads in winter, additional road heating systems were installed to create a safe road environment free from worries even during heavy snowfall.
Consistent communication through Jungnang Masil has brought significant changes to the area, not only improving daily inconveniences but also enhancing the educational environment, welfare, and revitalizing the local economy.
Meeting with parents from 25 schools in the area on the theme of education, opinions on the educational environment were collected, and efforts were made to improve school facilities, including repairs of various aging facilities and the establishment of the Kkumdam Library.
Efforts were also made to create safe school routes by expanding CCTV coverage to 324 units, widening the road near Sangbong Elementary School, and installing speed bumps at Myeonmok High School.
By listening to the opinions of local merchants and residents near commercial districts, efforts were made to revitalize the local economy by creating specialized streets such as the Sangbong-dong Food Alley, Sagajeong Youth Street, and Taereung Market. Additionally, difficulties faced by various local economic actors such as market merchant associations, self-employed business owners, young entrepreneurs, and fashion sewing companies were heard and reflected in district policies to invigorate the local economy.
Moreover, Jungnang Masil played a significant role in resolving long-standing resident demands such as creating senior citizen rest areas along Myeonmok Stream and Myeonmok Retention Basin, resolving donation and lease issues at Hwarang Village Senior Center, founding the first middle school volleyball team in Jungnang-gu, and installing soundproof walls at Mangwoo Station.
Mayor Ryu Gyeong-gi said, “I continue Jungnang Masil with the belief that policies that change residents’ lives can be learned by directly listening to residents’ voices on-site. Every meeting with residents is meaningful, but among them, Jungnang Masil is a deep communication platform where diverse opinions can be heard on a single topic.” He added, “In the future, I will continue to visit wherever residents are to directly see and hear problems and lead regional development in the direction residents want.”
Jungnang-gu operates various channels, including Jungnang Masil, to maintain continuous communication with residents. The weekly ‘Alley Cleaning’ event, where residents clean various parts of the region together every Wednesday, has reached its 140th session, and the ‘Mayor’s Direct Text’ service, newly established last year for prompt handling of civil complaints, has played a significant role in resolving residents’ inconveniences.
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