Jongno-gu has achieved eight consecutive years at the top of the Korean Standard-Service Quality Index (KS-SQI) rankings for local government administrative services, district mayor Yoo Chan-jong announced.
The district scored 73.6 points in this year's evaluation, placing first among Seoul's autonomous districts and outpacing the Seoul average of 72.1 points by 1.5 points.
Particularly notable was the district's performance across eight of the 13 evaluation categories — including courtesy, proactiveness and appropriateness — where it outscored other districts, demonstrating broad service excellence. Officials said the result reflects consistent efforts to improve administrative services in line with residents' expectations and a proactive governance style grounded in everyday community life.
The district has pursued policies with tangible impact across all areas of local administration. A standout example is the Bukchon Special Management Zone, which the district operates as a model for balancing tourism with residents' right to a stable living environment. In transportation welfare, the district introduced a senior care car service to improve mobility for elderly residents in areas underserved by public transit.
Support for the local economy was also strengthened. To help small business owners and the self-employed struggling amid a prolonged economic downturn, the district deferred principal repayment on small and medium-sized enterprise development fund loans by up to one year, serving as a lifeline for the local economy. To expand everyday infrastructure, the district pushed ahead with public parking lots in the Samcheong Park, Okin-dong and Changshin-dong areas, and extended road heating systems to prevent winter accidents.
In culture and welfare, the district opened a stretch of the main boulevard near Daehangno to the public through a car-free street event, injecting energy into the local cultural scene and commercial district. The Jongno Good Life Challenge, a program designed to help seniors aged 65 and older living alone build social connections, also drew wide praise.
"We will not rest on the achievement of eight consecutive years at the top," district mayor Yoo said. "We will continue to listen more closely to residents' voices and pay careful attention to the inconveniences of daily life, building a Jongno that earns trust through kinder, more accurate and more proactive administrative services."
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