A direct-text hotline to the district mayor — first introduced by former Seongdong-gu Mayor Jeong Won-o during his seventh term in office — is spreading across Seoul's autonomous districts.
The system lets residents send text messages about everyday inconveniences, complaints and policy suggestions directly to the district mayor's personal phone. The mayor reviews the messages personally, and the relevant department then follows up with a response.
The initiative began in Seongdong-gu and has since been adopted by Jungnang-gu and Gwangjin-gu, and most recently by Mapo-gu and Yeongdeungpo-gu, establishing itself as a new model for grassroots district governance.
Residents have responded warmly to the channel, which lets them reach the district mayor directly without going through the district office website or formal complaint procedures.
Gangnam district Mayor Kim Hyeon-gi has also drawn praise for handing out business cards bearing his personal phone number to both staff and residents, asking them to contact him directly with any difficulties or suggestions.
Mapo-gu district Mayor Yu Dong-gyun has launched a direct-text service called the "Barobaro Sotongpon," or same-day response hotline, to communicate with residents more quickly and in greater depth.
Yu had emphasized resident communication even before taking office. He set up the hotline to make it easy for people to submit everyday complaints and policy ideas by text and have them reflected in district administration without delay.
Since taking office, Yu has carried the phone with him at all times, checking incoming messages and proposals throughout the day so no resident voice goes unheard.
When a message arrives, an acknowledgment goes out automatically. The district plans to go beyond a perfunctory reply, conducting thorough reviews and on-site inspections where needed to ensure the quality of its final responses.
For complaints involving multiple departments, the district will coordinate closely across teams to develop practical solutions and present residents with realistic alternatives they can see reflected in their daily lives.
Any Mapo-gu resident can use the hotline to report daily inconveniences or share ideas and policy proposals for the district's development.
"What matters more than a simple reply is the right answer — one that genuinely changes residents' lives," Yu said. "Through this hotline, I will listen more closely to voices from the ground and deliver hands-on communication that residents can feel."
Yeongdeungpo-gu will launch its own version — the "district mayor's direct resident hotline" — on Monday, with Mayor Jo Yu-jin saying the service is designed to lower the barriers of bureaucracy and hear residents' voices more broadly.
The line will accept suggestions, lifestyle complaints, grievances and district policy proposals around the clock, with the mayor personally sending text updates on responses and progress.
Any Yeongdeungpo-gu resident can reach the dedicated number — 010-6400-8450 — to report issues ranging from road, traffic and environmental problems to ideas for the district's future development.
The district has also overhauled its management system to handle incoming messages promptly. Complaints received during weekday business hours will be reviewed immediately by the relevant department, followed by an on-site inspection and a response.
Outside business hours — evenings, weekends and public holidays — the district office duty room will maintain round-the-clock coverage with no gaps.
On-site engagement will also be strengthened. For complaints directly tied to resident safety, cases requiring urgent field checks and major policy proposals, the mayor plans to visit the site in person and hold direct conversations with residents.
The district will also publish complaint-handling status updates, examples of resident ideas adopted as policy, and the results of systemic improvements made in response to recurring or widespread complaints on the district website.
"Through this hotline, I will communicate with residents around the clock, listen to voices from the ground, and find answers there," Jo said. "I will build a Yeongdeungpo where every small story residents share in their daily lives becomes district policy — a Yeongdeungpo that is the finest democracy."
Whether these direct-text hotlines evolve beyond simple complaint channels into a broader model of community-centered governance — where district mayors hear residents directly and find solutions in the field — remains to be seen.
seouldream01@heraldcorp.com
