"Have a Cup of Coffee"... Jeong Wono, Seongdong District Mayor, Hosts Coffee Truck Event for Employees

Free Coffee Truck Event Held for All Employees During Lunch Break on January 24
Efforts to Break Away from a Rigid Organizational Culture...
Mayor Jeong Won-oh Personally Delivers Drinks and Messages of Support to Employees
Encouraging Communication and Relaxation Between Older and Newer Generations...
Campaign to Eradicate 'Department Head Meal Hosting' Since September 2023
Complete Ban on Collecting Personal Funds for Department Head Meals Starting This Year
Fostering a Voluntary and Flexible Dining Culture

Seongdong-gu, Seoul (Mayor Jeong Won-oh) held a ‘Coffee Truck Event’ for all employees on the 24th to improve the rigid organizational culture.

According to the Ministry of Personnel Management’s ‘General Public Officials’ Retirement Status in the Last 10 Years,’ the number of general retirees with less than one year of service, which was 538 in 2014, sharply increased to 3,021 in 2023. Factors such as lower pay compared to the private sector, high work intensity relative to salary, and rigidity in the public service society are cited as reasons for lowering public officials’ morale.

In response, the district held a ‘Coffee Truck Event’ in front of the district office on the 24th during employees’ lunch break (12 PM to 1 PM) to break away from the rigid public service culture and create a flexible organizational atmosphere where colleagues harmonize and show consideration for each other.

At the event, which provided free coffee and other beverages to all employees, Seongdong-gu Mayor Jeong Won-oh personally handed out drinks to employees, delivering messages of support and encouragement, adding a special touch.

The coffee truck displayed the phrase, “Forget about ‘Back in my day...’ and have a ‘Latte’!” This phrase was inspired by the popular pun where the phrase ‘Back in my day’ (nattae) used by older generations to cling to old customs sounds similar to ‘latte.’ It also expressed the hope that the older and newer generations would enjoy a ‘latte’ together and communicate with ease.

Additionally, according to an internal survey, the so-called ‘Department Head Meal Hosting’ practice?where junior employees pool their own money to treat their senior department heads to meals in a set order by team?was found to have been completely eradicated. The event also conveyed gratitude to the employees who worked together to improve this practice.

The district views the ‘Department Head Meal Hosting’ practice as a representative cause of rigidity in the public service society and an organizational culture that needs improvement. Since September 2023, it has been promoting a campaign to encourage voluntary improvement.

On the ‘Integrity Bulletin Board,’ a self-produced webtoon was posted for all employees to share. It suggested not forcing employees to participate on days when they dine with department heads and proposed splitting the meal costs with the department heads to foster a flexible public service atmosphere.

The number of departments that abolished the ‘Department Head Meal Hosting’ practice, which was only 2 to 3 departments in September 2023, increased to 43 departments by January 2025.

Starting this year, the district has completely banned employees from collecting personal funds to cover meal expenses during department head meals based on the rotation system. This measure was actively adopted following discussions on the topic of ‘Department Head Meal Hosting’ in the ‘Integrity Communication Room,’ where employees anonymously shared their opinions in December last year. However, dining with department heads itself can positively impact harmony and communication among employees, so it can be implemented voluntarily depending on the department’s situation.

Seongdong-gu Mayor Jeong Won-oh said, “I believe that breaking away from a rigid organizational culture enables flexible and open thinking and improves work efficiency. I thank the employees who have worked together to create a horizontal organizational culture of communication and cooperation, and we will continue to eliminate unreasonable practices and build a healthy organizational culture where each employee can demonstrate their abilities.”