Kim Boe-un and Kim Gwie-un, both Sookmyung Women's University graduates hired through the same entry-level exam, were promoted to senior civil servant rank and now oversee adjacent neighborhoods
A pair of sisters serving as neighborhood chiefs in adjacent districts of Seoul's Gangdong-gu has drawn attention from colleagues and residents alike.
The two are Kim Gwie-un, chief of Dunchon 2-dong, and her younger sister Kim Boe-un, chief of Dunchon 1-dong.
Married couples and siblings serving together in Seoul's autonomous districts are not uncommon, but cases where sisters are both promoted to senior civil servant rank and placed in charge of neighboring neighborhoods simultaneously are rare.
Kim Gwie-un graduated from Sookmyung Women's University and joined Gangdong-gu District Office in 1993 as a Grade 9 civil servant — the entry level. She went on to hold key posts in operational divisions, including head of the parking management team, before being promoted to Grade 5 senior civil servant rank on Jan. 1, 2025. She is now in her second year as chief of Dunchon 2-dong.
Kim Boe-un also graduated from Sookmyung Women's University and entered the district office in 2003, likewise as a Grade 9 civil servant. She served as press team chief reporter, evaluation team leader and planning team leader before being promoted to Grade 5 on July 1. Her first posting after the promotion was chief of Dunchon 1-dong.
Dunchon 1-dong, which Kim Boe-un now leads, is home to Olympic Park Foreon, the country's largest reconstruction complex, with more than 12,000 households and roughly 33,000 residents. The rapid population growth has sharply increased demand for administrative and welfare services in the area.
Neighboring Dunchon 2-dong is a residential area mixing single-family homes and apartment buildings, and encompasses Iljasan Natural Park. The neighborhood places a premium on hands-on, community-level administration closely tied to residents' daily lives.
Both sisters are regarded by residents and colleagues alike as diligent and highly responsible civil servants.
The two have deep roots in the area — their family has lived in Gangdong-gu for generations, making them true locals. Having grown up in the district and begun their careers there, they now serve its residents side by side as neighborhood chiefs.
"It is already special for sisters to work at the same district office, but having both promoted to senior rank and leading two adjacent neighborhoods at the same time is extremely rare," a Gangdong-gu official said. "We expect the two chiefs to deliver administration that is closely attuned to residents' needs, drawing on their long experience and deep understanding of the community."
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