"Jin Kyo-hoon really is different from other district mayors." That was the reaction from one senior official upon hearing that Gangseo-gu in Seoul plans to livestream its expanded senior staff meetings — a move aimed at boosting transparency in district administration and strengthening communication with residents.
The meetings could potentially include sensitive internal matters, yet District Mayor Jin has declared a policy of openness, signaling his commitment to greater administrative transparency. The decision reflects Jin's reputation as a clean-government official and is expected to have a ripple effect across Seoul's autonomous districts and beyond.
The expanded senior staff meeting brings together department heads and community center officials from across the district. The first broadcast is set for Tuesday at 9 a.m., after which meetings will be streamed live on the official Gangseo-gu YouTube channel at 10 a.m. on the first and third Tuesday of each month.
By opening the decision-making process on major policies and issues to residents in real time, the district aims to build trust in its administration. A live chat function will allow viewers to post comments and policy suggestions during broadcasts, and feedback collected through the feature will be reviewed by relevant departments and actively incorporated into district policy.
The district also carefully reviewed in advance whether the livestreaming initiative could run afoul of the Public Official Election Act. Officials said the broadcasts will focus on making the decision-making process for key projects transparent and protecting residents' right to information — not on promoting the district mayor's achievements or generating political controversy.
Residents who wish to watch can access the YouTube link posted on the Gangseo-gu district office website's bulletin board or notification window starting one hour before each meeting.
For those who miss the live broadcast, recordings of past meetings will be available on the district office website under Administrative Information > Gangseo Administrative Materials > Expanded Senior Staff Meeting Video Archive.
"Livestreaming our meetings is a commitment to open up district administration as it is and govern through communication," District Mayor Jin Kyo-hoon said. "We will constantly think about how to respond to residents in real time, and the process will also give our staff a chance to look at their own work again from the residents' perspective."
seouldream01@heraldcorp.com
