Kim Kyung-ho, Mayor of Gwangjin-gu, Operates 'Youth Communication Mayor's Office'

From 3 PM on the 5th, Communicating with Youth in the Heart of the City
Spontaneous Meetings with Youth, Listening to On-site Voices on Inconveniences and Suggestions
On the Side, Promoting Gwangjin's Landmarks with On-site Voting and Gwangjin-gu Notification Talk Campaign

Gwangjin-gu (Mayor Kim Kyung-ho) spent time communicating with young people in the heart of the city from 3 p.m. on the 5th.

This was the second meeting following the first one held at the Hwayang-dong Community Center last July.

Hwayang-dong is overflowing with students from Konkuk University and Sejong University, making it a place with a youth ratio overwhelmingly higher than other neighborhoods. To hear the voices of young people more closely, the “Visiting Youth Communication Mayor’s Office” was operated right in the middle of the Hwayang-dong street (386 Gwangnaru-ro), where many young people frequent.

The on-site communication was set up with only desks and chairs. To encourage free and active participation from the youth, formal ceremonies were boldly omitted. The event, which lasted about an hour, was attended by around ten young people. The youth took turns sitting down to talk about inconveniences and suggestions, and Mayor Kim Kyung-ho responded accordingly.

At the site that day, practical opinions were raised such as “Please install a crosswalk at Gunja Station History Street,” “I hope cockroach pest control can be strengthened,” and “Please take active interest in youth housing issues.”

On one side, a field vote for “Gwangjin’s Attractions Chosen by Youth” and promotion of “Gwangjin-gu AlimTalk” also attracted the attention of young people.

A young participant said, “I was surprised to see the mayor suddenly standing in front of my house, as it’s usually hard to meet him. It was nice to talk informally without being bound by formalities. These days, it’s hard to find a job due to the economic downturn, so I hope the district office helps a lot.”

Kim Kyung-ho, Mayor of Gwangjin-gu, said, “It was a meaningful time to hear the sincere concerns of young people on site. I appreciate the valuable opinions of the youth,” and added, “I will consider discovering policies that provide practical help to young people. I hope for much interest and affection for Gwangjin-gu.”