Third-quarter staff assembly on Friday takes talk-show format for the first time, shifting from one-way briefings to two-way dialogue
"Do you ever have days when you don't want to come to work? What do you do on those days?"
"How do you usually deal with work stress?"
These were among the questions staff put to their boss at the 2026 third-quarter employee assembly held Friday at Gangnam Community Center.
Gangnam-gu overhauled the format of its regular staff assembly on Friday, replacing the traditional setup — in which the district mayor delivers policy directions and employees listen — with a talk-show-style session where staff ask questions and the district mayor answers on the spot.
The change reflects the view that employees are not simply recipients of top-down directives but active members who should help shape the direction of the organization.
It also signals District Mayor Kim Hyun-gi's intention to close the distance between himself and his staff.
The centerpiece of the talk-show format was an unscripted question-and-answer exchange with no prepared answers. Staff submitted 88 questions in advance on topics they had long wanted to raise with the district mayor, and questions were drawn at random on the day for Kim to answer impromptu.
The questions ranged from the personal to the professional: "You handed out your business card to all the staff — did you actually receive messages? Is there one that stuck with you?" "If you spent one day working as an ordinary Gangnam-gu employee, which department would you want to work in?" "Is there something you want to be able to say you truly accomplished by the end of your four-year term?" Candid, free-flowing conversation moved across topics from everyday life — commuting and stress — to organizational culture and the goals Kim hopes to achieve during his tenure.
The talk-show assembly is part of a broader effort by the current administration to build a culture of open communication and a more horizontal organizational structure from within. The idea is that when employees feel free to share their thoughts and experiences, and the organization genuinely listens, new ideas and proactive work follow — ultimately producing changes in public administration that residents can feel.
Gangnam-gu plans to build on Friday's session by developing the regular assembly into a genuine forum for staff participation, moving beyond simple information sharing. The district said it will continue to expand internal communication channels so that employee feedback can be gathered naturally and reflected in how the organization is run.
"The driving force behind district administration comes from the employees who meet residents on the ground and put policy into action," District Mayor Kim said. "I will create an organizational culture where staff can freely voice their opinions and work together to find answers, so that energy translates into better public service."
seouldream01@heraldcorp.com
