Yu Bo-hwa, the newly elected district mayor of Seongdong-gu, is drawing comparisons to her predecessor Jung Won-oh. Some observers call her administration a second season of his tenure as she continues several of his signature governing practices.
Yu served as deputy district mayor of Seongdong-gu for four years under Jung during the eighth elected term, working closely alongside him. She then won the Democratic Party of Korea primary election for the district mayor seat and was elected, becoming a rare example of a Seoul Metropolitan Government civil servant without a civil service exam background rising to lead a local government.
The most notable change since she took office has been a strengthening of policy advisory functions.
Just as Jung brought in a former Seongdong-gu bureau director as a policy adviser during his tenure, Yu has appointed a former Yongsan-gu deputy district mayor, identified as K, as a Grade 5-equivalent policy planning officer — someone who worked alongside her during the election campaign.
The policy planning officer is responsible for comprehensively reviewing major policies and pending issues and providing policy advice directly to the district mayor.
Another signature change involves how the district communicates with residents.
Seongdong-gu recently launched "Text Communication 365," a direct-text civil complaint service that connects residents straight to the district mayor.
The service allows residents to send lifestyle grievances or policy suggestions directly to the district mayor via text message.
Residents can file complaints with a single text, without visiting a government office or navigating complex procedures. Submissions are reviewed by the relevant department, which then conducts on-site checks and follow-up action. Cases requiring extended review will be managed separately, and residents will be kept informed of progress.
This text-based communication approach was widely regarded as one of the most well-received resident engagement initiatives during Jung's time in office.
"Each resident's opinion is an important starting point for policy, so I will carefully examine even minor inconveniences and actively reflect them in district administration," Yu said. "Through 'Text Communication 365,' I will continue an administration that residents can feel is truly listening."
Attention is now turning to how far Yu will go in building on her predecessor's policies and governing style — and whether she can develop them into a new administrative model distinctly Seongdong-gu's own.
seouldream01@heraldcorp.com
