Seoul's Seongdong-gu district office said it held an event Wednesday at the first floor of the district office building, where newly inaugurated District Mayor Yoo Bo-hwa surprised arriving employees with a morning greeting under the banner "When Integrity Rises, Let's Meet — Good Morning, District Mayor!"
The event marked the launch of the ninth directly elected district administration under Yoo. By making an unannounced appearance during the morning commute, she aimed to deliver words of encouragement to staff and foster a healthier organizational culture that breaks down barriers between generations and job grades through open communication.
The event was divided into two parts: a morning commute greeting and an integrity tea gathering. In the first part, Yoo stood at the main entrance on the first floor of the district office and exchanged morning greetings with employees as they arrived, creating a relaxed atmosphere for spontaneous conversation.
As part of a campaign the district has been running since June to eliminate the practice of giving potted plants as celebratory gifts during appointment season, Yoo also handed out plant-growing kits to employees. Each kit carried the campaign slogan "A Heartfelt Wish Instead of an Orchid," conveying the message that staff should replace the financially and psychologically burdensome tradition of gifting potted plants with simple, warm expressions of goodwill — building an integrity-minded workplace culture for the appointment season.
The second part moved to Seongdong Chaengmaru, where Yoo joined employees for an integrity-themed tea gathering. Staff of varying job grades, ages and backgrounds attended and freely exchanged views on building an ethical organizational culture.
The gathering took on added significance as employees hired in 2021 — when Yoo served as deputy district mayor of Seongdong-gu — sat alongside those newly appointed in 2026, the first year of her tenure as district mayor, sharing a connection that spanned her time in the district.
Civil servants who are married couples, staff responsible for district communications and others from diverse backgrounds also attended, broadening common ground by sharing their perspectives on the value of integrity within the public sector.
"Integrity grows naturally within an organizational culture built on mutual respect and trust," Yoo said at the tea gathering. She pledged to build a Seongdong-gu where anyone, regardless of job grade or generation, can freely share their opinions.
seouldream01@heraldcorp.com
