Why the Yongin City Public Officials Union Gave the Mayor a Gift of 'Undonghwa' Sneakers

Mayor Sang-il Lee's Second Term Following 2022 Inauguration
Union: "Work Hard for Public Officials and Citizens"

The executive members of the Public Officials Labor Union in Yongin-si, Gyeonggi-do, made headlines by presenting Mayor Lee Sang-il with a special gift. It was none other than a pair of sneakers.

According to Yongin-si on the 9th, the union executives gave the sneakers to Mayor Lee during a luncheon meeting the day before. This is the second time the union has gifted sneakers to the mayor, following the first occasion shortly after his inauguration in July 2022.

Lee Sang-il (left), Mayor of Yongin, is receiving sneakers as a gift during a luncheon meeting with union executives on the 8th.
[Photo by Yongin City]

On this day, the union gave Mayor Lee the nickname "Communication King" and said, "We will gift you new sneakers again, so please tighten your laces and run hard for the remaining two years of your term for the 4,000 public officials and 1.1 million citizens of Yongin." Earlier, on the mayor’s 2nd anniversary in office on the 1st, the union also sent a congratulatory message thanking him for running diligently over the past two years.

Mayor Lee expressed his gratitude, saying, "All city officials played a significant role in achieving results such as attracting the national advanced system semiconductor industrial complex in Idong and Namsa, lifting the protection zone of Songtan water source, creating a semiconductor-specialized new town, resolving the issue of the former police university site, and confirming the establishment of a semiconductor high school over the past two years." He added, "I will fully understand the meaning behind the union gifting sneakers again and will continue to dedicate myself to the city’s development and improving the quality of life for citizens together with the city’s public officials."

At the meeting, the union also presented proposals to Mayor Lee, including establishing clear standards related to personnel exchanges with the city council and improving service systems to overcome low birth rates and support work-family balance.