Naju-si 'Baro Munja Service' Establishes Itself as a Communication Channel

Naju City in Jeollanam-do announced on the 31st that the 'Baro Text Service,' introduced last February, has established itself as a direct communication channel between citizens and the mayor.

The Baro Text Service allows citizens to request solutions to daily life inconveniences or concerns via text messages without visiting City Hall. Notably, the mayor personally reviews and responds to these inquiries, earning citizens' trust and positive feedback.

Mayor Yoon Byung-tae of Naju City operates the Citizen Direct Consultation Office, a communication channel, on the second Wednesday of every month.
[Photo by Naju City]

To use the service, any citizen can send a text message about daily inconveniences or policy suggestions directly to Mayor Yoon Byeong-tae's personal mobile phone.

Mayor Yoon personally checks the messages daily, and after review by the relevant departments, citizens receive a reply within three days.

As the service marks its fifth month, the city has received a total of 105 text messages so far. Among them, 47 were related to daily inconveniences, 14 to policy proposals and system improvements, and 44 to other matters.

Above all, the service plays a significant role in promptly addressing minor issues that directly affect citizens' daily lives, thereby enhancing the credibility of the administration.

Key examples include the repair of streetlights at Daehodong Lake Park and the maintenance request for the Jeongryeolsa bus stop. These issues were immediately inspected on-site and repaired the same day, improving citizens' safety and convenience.

Alongside the Baro Text Service, Mayor Yoon has also been operating the 'Citizen Direct Consultation Office,' a communication channel for face-to-face dialogue with citizens, every second Wednesday of the month since March this year.

The Citizen Direct Consultation Office will be held next on Wednesday, September 11, and online applications will be accepted for two weeks starting from the 12th of next month on the City Hall website.

Mayor Yoon stated, “The Baro Text Service not only improves citizen convenience through prompt resolution of civil complaints but also serves as an informal communication channel that narrows the physical and psychological distance between the administration and citizens. We will continue to listen carefully to each citizen’s valuable voice and make improvements to create a happy Naju with the highest quality of life, the best Naju.”

Naju = Kim Yuk-bong, Honam Reporting Headquarters, Asia Economy baekok@asiae.co.kr