Seoul's Gangdong-gu has established a "2026 Proactive Administration Action Plan" to spread a public-service culture of actively resolving issues that affect residents' daily lives, selecting four lifestyle-focused initiatives that residents will be able to feel directly.
The district finalized this year's priority initiatives in June after review by its Proactive Administration Committee. The selected projects will be monitored regularly for progress and managed closely in connection with efforts to identify best practices.
The four selected initiatives are: on-site education visits for newly licensed real estate agents to prevent brokerage accidents; guidance to photography studios on passport photo standards; a pre-inspection program for long-term care facilities to ensure thorough oversight from the start of senior care services; and an integrated support project to help isolated and reclusive youth restore their daily routines and reintegrate into society.
The district will also work to broaden the culture of proactive administration by expanding rewards for civil servants who take initiative while reducing the burdens they may face in carrying out their duties.
To that end, the district plans to increase the selection of outstanding proactive civil servants from once to twice a year and to strengthen the accompanying personnel benefits. Last year, five civil servants were recognized and received district mayor commendations, cash awards and special leave.
The district also plans to introduce a new "proactive administration mileage system" that provides immediate rewards for employees' everyday proactive efforts, encouraging voluntary participation.
In addition, the district will strengthen safeguards so that civil servants do not hesitate to act proactively out of concern over audits or litigation. It plans to activate support mechanisms — including pre-consultation services and advisory opinions from the Proactive Administration Committee — and to back employees through indemnification and litigation support, enabling them to carry out their work with conviction in a more stable environment.
"We will continuously identify and pursue proactive administration initiatives that allow residents to feel real change in their daily lives, grounded in on-the-ground communication and collaboration," Gangdong-gu District Mayor Lee Su-hee said. "We will also build an organizational culture where civil servants can work with conviction, drawing on their expertise and creativity, to deliver an administration that earns even greater public trust."
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