Guro District Mayor Jang Inhong, Elected in April 2 By-election, Actively Communicates with Residents

Mayor Jang Inhong Holds Inaugural Press Conference
"Putting Residents' Livelihoods First, Driving Real Change Through Communication"
Attends Buddha's Birthday Celebration Lighting Ceremony
Emphasizes Compassion and Community Spirit
Opens Guro G-Valley Sports Center
Aims to Promote Health and Well-being for Residents and Workers
Introduces Wearable Strength-Enhancing Robots for Sanitation Workers
Focuses on Safety and Welfare Improvements

Guro District Mayor Jang Inhong, who was elected in the April 2 by-election, has been actively working in the field for over 20 days.

On the morning of April 25, Mayor Jang held his first press conference since taking office, explaining his future plans and opening communication with the media.

The previous day, he attended the Buddha’s Birthday celebration lighting ceremony and the opening ceremony of the Guro G-Valley Sports Center.

Mayor Jang Inhong Holds Inaugural Press Conference: "Putting Residents’ Livelihoods First, Driving Real Change Through Communication"

At 11 a.m. on April 25, Mayor Jang Inhong held the "8th Popularly Elected, 21st Guro District Mayor Inaugural Press Conference" at the district office’s Renaissance Hall. This event marked Mayor Jang’s first official meeting with the media since taking office, featuring congratulatory remarks, an outline of district administration plans, and an active Q&A session on key issues.

In his opening remarks, Mayor Jang said, "As a Guro resident who has lived here for over 50 years, I feel a tremendous sense of responsibility in taking charge of district administration. I will remain true to my original intentions and lead the district with sincerity to meet the support and expectations of each and every resident." He added, "It is a personal honor to be the first district mayor who grew up in this area, as well as the first district mayor with experience as a local council member and politician."

Mayor Jang stated, "Immediately after taking office, I began work by reviewing departmental reports to check the overall framework of district administration and shared my stance and policy direction on major issues as mayor. I will prioritize residents’ livelihoods and operate the district government with policies that bring real improvements to people’s lives."

During the press conference, he also explained his plans for fulfilling campaign pledges. Mayor Jang said, "About 70 to 80 percent of my pledges are already planned or consist of achievable tasks, so I have structured them to create tangible changes during my term. While there are concerns about the short tenure, I am confident that this will allow me to focus and achieve real results."

He specifically mentioned that his first official approval after taking office was the "expansion of the Guro Sarang Gift Certificate issuance," explaining, "We will significantly increase the issuance volume from 7.9 billion won to 20 billion won to directly boost the local economy."

In addition, he announced plans to expand loans for small and medium-sized businesses and small merchants, increase funding for school environment improvements, establish a lifelong learning center, promote education and care policies, and strengthen public-private cooperation.

Regarding local issues, he said, "The most fundamental approach is to communicate with residents and seek solutions from their perspective. Both the start of a policy and the key to its resolution ultimately lie in communication with residents, so I will listen even more actively to voices in the field." Mayor Jang concluded, "The media is both a partner in district administration and a bridge for communication. I will continue to work closely with the media to shape Guro’s future together."

Mayor Jang Inhong Attends Buddha’s Birthday Celebration Lighting Ceremony for the 2569th Year of the Buddhist Era

To mark the 2569th Buddha’s Birthday, the district held a celebration lighting ceremony at 5 p.m. on April 24 in the district office plaza. The event was organized by the Guro District Office Buddhist Association and Myeonghwasa Temple, with about 50 attendees, including Mayor Jang Inhong, the head monk of Myeonghwasa, and members of the Buddhist Association.

The ceremony began with the Threefold Refuge ritual and the Heart Sutra chanting, followed by guest introductions, a congratulatory speech by the mayor, a reading of the prayer for aspiration, and the Four Great Vows. Myeonghwasa Temple also donated rice to help neighbors in need, adding special meaning to the event as a practice of Buddha’s compassion.

Mayor Jang Inhong said, "We have installed lanterns in the district office plaza until May 11 to widely share the meaning of Buddha’s Birthday and create a warm atmosphere. I hope that, like the light of the lanterns, we cherish compassion and wisdom and build a warm community that comforts one another."

Opening of Guro G-Valley Sports Center

On April 24, Mayor Jang attended the opening ceremony of the Guro G-Valley Sports Center.

The Guro G-Valley Sports Center was established to provide a safe and convenient exercise environment for residents and workers in the Guro Digital Complex. The opening ceremony was attended by Mayor Jang Inhong, officials from related organizations, and about 100 local residents. The event included an opening declaration, guest introductions, a progress report, speeches, congratulatory remarks, and commemorative photos.

After the commemorative photos, the guests toured the sports facilities of the Guro G-Valley Sports Center together with other attendees. Mayor Jang Inhong said, "I hope the Guro G-Valley Sports Center becomes a place where office workers in the Guro Digital Complex can unwind after a hard day’s work, and where local residents can take care of their health and find relaxation."

Support for Wearable Strength-Enhancing Robots for Sanitation Workers: Introducing Strength-Assist Equipment for Safety

Guro District is providing "wearable strength-enhancing robots" to sanitation workers in local cleaning sites to prevent musculoskeletal disorders and improve work efficiency.

This initiative was introduced to reduce the physical burden on sanitation workers who clean in areas densely populated with villas and multi-family houses.

Due to the district’s characteristics, trash collection often requires moving through narrow alleys and stairs. As a result, sanitation workers experience continuous strain on their knees and ankles when carrying heavy garbage bags.

Recently, with the prohibition of riding on the rear footboard of cleaning vehicles, the walking distance for sanitation workers has increased significantly, further adding to their physical burden.

In response, the district introduced wearable robots, starting a pilot operation this month.

The wearable robot is a device worn on the body like a belt, reducing the amount of force workers need to exert during tasks.

The newly introduced wearable strength-enhancing robot weighs only 1.6 kg and analyzes the wearer’s gait in real time to reduce the load on the knees and lower body. When carrying a backpack weighing about 20 kg on flat ground, it reduces the actual load by about 12 kg.

The district plans to pilot the wearable equipment with some directly employed and subcontracted sanitation workers, monitoring fit, safety, and fatigue improvement. Based on the monitoring results, the district intends to gradually expand distribution to all sanitation workers. Mayor Jang Inhong said, "The introduction of wearable strength-enhancing robots goes beyond simple equipment support and is expected to greatly help protect the health of sanitation workers and prevent accidents. We will continue to develop and implement various policies to improve the safety and welfare of sanitation workers."

As Mayor Jang Inhong actively engages in external activities, promotional efforts are also being vigorously supported. This is largely attributed to Deputy Mayor Choi Wonseok, a former media officer and public relations director for the Seoul Metropolitan Government. Since his appointment on April 8, Deputy Mayor Choi, known as Seoul’s top PR expert, has been working actively with Public Relations Officer Shin Jooyoung and Media Support Team Leader An Mina to help Mayor Jang Inhong settle into his role.