Seoul's Gangbuk-gu district has launched a dedicated "direct complaint text line" to strengthen communication with residents and gather firsthand feedback on everyday inconveniences and policy ideas, district Mayor Jeong Chang-su announced.
The direct text line is designed to close the gap between residents and local government, allowing public input to be reflected in policy more quickly.
Any Gangbuk-gu resident can send messages to the dedicated number (010-9935-9159) covering everyday issues — from roads and traffic to environmental concerns — as well as broader policy suggestions for the district's development. The mayor carries the phone personally and checks it throughout the day. Once a complaint is received, an acknowledgment and initial guidance message goes out within three hours, after which the relevant department reviews the matter and conducts an on-site inspection before issuing a final response.
The district plans to go beyond routine complaint handling by actively using the feedback to improve administrative services and inform policy reviews, with the goal of delivering governance that residents can feel in their daily lives.
Alongside the text line, Mayor Jeong is expanding direct contact with residents through regular commuter-hour outreach. One to two times a week, he visits major subway stations and intersections — including Suyu Station, Mia Station, Miasageori Station and Solsaem Station — from 7 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. and again from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. to meet residents heading to and from work. The initiative reflects a field-first approach: going to where residents are rather than waiting for them to come to the district office.
"Residents' attention and participation are the greatest force behind good district governance," Mayor Jeong said. "Through the direct text line and commuter outreach, I will do my utmost to listen more closely to residents' voices and translate them into solutions for everyday inconveniences and improvements in policy."
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