Over Two Years of Developing Unique Policies → Achieving Quantitative and Qualitative Improvements in Passport Issuance Services
Ranked 1st among Seoul’s autonomous districts and 5th nationwide in passport issuance, Songpa-gu (Mayor Seo Gang-seok), known as the ‘Nationwide Passport Issuance Hotspot,’ celebrates the 2nd anniversary of its newly established Passport Division. We look back on the district’s journey, driven by a commitment to providing differentiated administrative services.
Immediately after the launch of the 8th elected administration in October 2022, the district became the first in the country to create a separate Passport Division, distinct from the existing Civil Affairs Passport Section, to achieve groundbreaking improvements in civil service convenience.
The new Passport Division became the driving force in responding to the surge in passport demand following the endemic phase. In fact, the number of applications, which was 15,000 in 2021, soared by 795% to surpass 120,000 in 2023. Despite this, the district received an outstanding nationwide score of 99.95 in the same year’s ‘Passport Service Agency Performance Evaluation,’ earning external recognition for excelling in both the quantity and quality of its services.
Notably, innovative and creative policies have driven the changes over the past two years. From the integrated civil service waiting system (kiosk) and the introduction of online ticket issuance and advance reservation systems that reduced congestion in the civil service office through smart SNS notifications and waiting status support, to Seoul’s first-ever outreach passport issuance service for vulnerable groups, dedicated counters for socially disadvantaged individuals, civil service guides, and demand-based nighttime civil service operations, meticulous consideration has been evident.
To realize servant leadership administration, efforts were also made to enhance friendliness and service quality. These included ▲CS and job competency enhancement training ▲operation of friendly managers ▲mock drills for handling unusual civil complaints to improve emergency response capabilities ▲and on-site training visits to local photo studios to reduce revisit rates, all aimed at strengthening the substance of services.
A district official stated, “Songpa-gu Office is conveniently located near major tourist attractions such as Seokchon Lake, resulting in a 25% passport application rate from residents outside the district,” adding, “Although always busy, we gain strength from the steady stream of compliments posted on the district’s website. We will continue to work with one heart to provide a better civil service experience.”
Additionally, to mark the 2nd anniversary of the Passport Division, the district plans to introduce unique new services. For first-time passport applicants, they will produce and distribute special passport cases that prevent electronic chip damage and create and distribute QR code guide content to assist with passport applications, among various other new projects.
Seo Gang-seok, Mayor of Songpa-gu, said, “Over the past two years, all staff have worked tirelessly to provide high-quality civil services that meet the expectations of our residents,” and added, “We will continue to innovate our work processes to provide unparalleled administrative services that our residents, the true owners of this land, can trust.”
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