Expecting a Warm Workplace Atmosphere at Seoul Grand Park Welcoming Director Choi Hong-yeon

Director Choi Recognized as a High-Ranking Official for Over 5 Years of Effective Communication with Staff While Serving as Deputy Mayor of Dongdaemun-gu

Choi Hong-yeon, Deputy Mayor of Dongdaemun-gu (54), has been appointed as the Director of Seoul Grand Park.

Seoul Grand Park is a healing space visited by Seoul and Gyeonggi residents, featuring a zoo opened in 1984 on an area of about 800,000 pyeong, a botanical garden opened the following year, and a camping site.

Director Choi was appointed Deputy Mayor of Dongdaemun-gu in 2018 and has worked there for over five years, maintaining good communication with the staff. He passed the 34th Administrative Examination while a senior at Korea University majoring in Public Administration and has served in various roles at Seoul City, including Director of Welfare Policy and Welfare Planning Officer. His contemporaries from the exam include Choi Ho-kwon, Mayor of Yeongdeungpo-gu, and Kim Young-sung, Deputy Mayor of Geumcheon-gu.

It may be somewhat unusual for a senior administrative official to serve as the director of Seoul Zoo. However, previous directors such as Kim Jae-yong, who was appointed as Seoul City Urban Space Planning Officer, and Lee Soo-yeon, appointed as Director of the Green City Leisure Bureau (and Welfare Policy Officer), were also exam passers, so smooth communication with various staff including zookeepers is expected to pose no problems.

In particular, Director Choi has gained a reputation as a popular executive among employees for treating staff comfortably during his tenure as Deputy Mayor of Dongdaemun-gu. A manager from Dongdaemun-gu said, “Director Choi treated both executives and staff with consistent ease, making it very pleasant to work together,” expressing regret.

Director Choi also said, “Wherever I work, I will strive to create a pleasant workplace atmosphere by communicating and working together with the staff.”