Dongdaemun-gu District Mayor Choi Dong-min greets local residents. [Provided by Dongdaemun-gu]
Dongdaemun-gu District Mayor Choi Dong-min greets local residents. [Provided by Dongdaemun-gu]

Seoul's Dongdaemun-gu said Tuesday it has wrapped up the first "Dialogue with Residents" of the 9th elected term and will manage 203 proposals submitted by residents across 15 neighborhoods.

The dialogue series began in Sinseol-dong on July 6 and concluded in Hoegi-dong on July 16, completing a full circuit of all 15 neighborhoods. The tour was organized to ground the new administration's agenda in residents' voices from the outset. On-site exchanges aimed to capture each neighborhood's distinct characteristics and pressing issues to inform future district governance.

About 80 to 110 residents attended each neighborhood session, and the 203 proposals received in total reflected strong public interest in the direction of the 9th elected term and local affairs.

Residents' submissions centered on everyday concerns: road and pedestrian environment improvements, expanded parking, relief from traffic inconveniences, repairs to aging facilities, stronger welfare and safety measures, and housing and urban renewal.

District Mayor Choi Dong-min, along with bureau and division heads, listened to residents directly and addressed questions on the spot where possible. For proposals requiring further review, officials explained the relevant procedures and the direction of future consideration.

The district plans to distribute the 203 proposals among the responsible departments and assess each one for urgency, scope of benefit, feasibility and impact on residents' daily lives.

Meanwhile, Choi, who took office on July 1, signed off on a plan to launch a Dongdaemun-gu integrated care program as his first official act. The district intends to roll out a comprehensive care system targeting single-person households, those at risk of social isolation, and residents in need of support.

"Touring all 15 neighborhoods gave me a concrete picture of the difficulties residents face and the challenges each community needs to resolve," Choi said. "Issues we can fix right away will be handled promptly, and for matters that take more time, we will keep residents accurately informed of the reasons and progress."


ikson@heraldcorp.com