Mapo-gu completed its "Dialogue with Residents" series, held sequentially at all 16 neighborhood community centers from July 10 to Monday.
The sessions — the first community outreach initiative since the launch of the ninth elected-term administration — saw District Mayor Yu Dong-gyun visit every neighborhood center in person to share local issues with residents and respond directly to their suggestions.
This year, the events were also streamed live on Mapo-gu's official YouTube channel, "Mapo Broadcasting," allowing residents who could not attend in person to follow along in real time and stay engaged with district affairs.
A total of 144 suggestions were submitted across the 16 neighborhoods, covering a wide range of issues closely tied to daily life, including repairs to aging sidewalks, the creation of new parking facilities and the expansion of sports amenities. The district plans to actively incorporate the feedback into future policy and project planning as part of its commitment to field-centered, resident-driven administration.
Requests for improvements to senior center facilities were raised in multiple neighborhoods, prompting the district to plan a comprehensive survey of all senior centers in the area before undertaking phased upgrades to aging infrastructure and usage conditions.
Following the sessions in Daeheung-dong and Seogang-dong, Yu visited the sites himself to inspect complaints raised during the dialogues — a demonstration of the hands-on administrative approach he has championed.
In Gongdeok-dong, Ahyeon-dong, Dohwa-dong, Daeheung-dong and Yeomni-dong, residents submitted a steady stream of questions and requests about the swift advancement of redevelopment and reconstruction projects and updates on their progress, underscoring strong community interest in the issue.
"The very first approval I signed in the ninth elected term was a plan to form a task force for the rapid advancement of redevelopment and reconstruction," Yu said. "We will spare no administrative support to ensure these long-awaited projects proceed without a hitch, and we will continue to share progress updates with residents as we push forward with speed."
The sessions also featured briefings on key policies and priority projects for the ninth elected-term administration.
Yu drew particular support from residents by outlining plans to revive two signature initiatives from the seventh elected term — a project to plant 5 million trees and a selection of Mapo-gu's top 10 walking routes — along with efforts to expand smart library access and make it easier for residents to pick up a book as part of their daily lives.
He also said the district would institutionalize the "Seniors' Meal Table" program to ensure its stable, long-term operation on a continuous basis.
The events also featured a segment called "Our Neighborhood as Residents Envision It," in which community representatives presented their visions and development goals for their respective neighborhoods — deepening residents' pride in and affection for where they live and broadening their understanding of local development.
"Throughout my time leading the district, the one thing I have never wavered on is the importance of communicating with residents," Yu said. "I will carefully examine every valuable suggestion made during these dialogues and put them into action, so that they translate into real change and progress for Mapo."
seouldream01@heraldcorp.com
