Among the key organizations led by Grade 1 (director-general level) officials at the Seoul Metropolitan Government, the most prominent include the Planning and Coordination Office, the Economic Affairs Office, the Transportation Office, the Welfare Bureau, the Culture Headquarters and the Women and Family Affairs Office.
The Planning and Coordination Office — the nerve center for designing and coordinating city policy — is headed by Director Lee Dong-ryul. The Economic Affairs Office, which oversees small-business support, job creation and the broader Seoul economy, is currently conducting an open recruitment process to fill its director post.
The Transportation Office, led by Director Yeo Jang-gwon, oversees the full range of the city's transport policy, including the subway, city and community buses, and taxis.
The Welfare Bureau carries an equally weighty mandate, responsible for the daily lives of Seoul's 10 million residents. Welfare spending accounts for more than half of the combined budgets of the Seoul Metropolitan Government and its 25 autonomous districts, and the importance of welfare administration continues to grow.
The official now leading that bureau is Director Jeong Jin-woo, who was promoted to Grade 1 in July and appointed welfare bureau director. Having previously served as welfare planning director, he is widely regarded as the right person to oversee the city's welfare policy.
Jeong returned from an overseas training program to serve as deputy district mayor of Jungnang-gu before taking charge of the city's Lifelong Education Bureau. During that posting, he was credited with advancing "Seoul Learn" — Mayor Oh Se-hoon's flagship education initiative — to a new level, a contribution that earned him his Grade 1 promotion.
More recently, another piece of good news involving Jeong has become a talking point across Seoul's civil service.
His wife, Kang Min-gyeong, formerly a team leader in Seocho-gu's water quality improvement division, passed the notoriously demanding competency assessment and was promoted to Grade 5 civil servant. Kang is currently serving as a probationary Grade 5 official in the Living Environment Division of the city's Climate and Environment Headquarters.
Kang entered public service after passing the Grade 9 environmental civil service exam following her university graduation, beginning her career at Gangnam-gu. She subsequently worked at Gangdong-gu and Seongdong-gu before serving as a team leader in Seocho-gu, where she cleared the far-from-easy hurdle of promotion to Grade 5.
The couple's backstory has drawn its own share of attention. Jeong entered public service after passing the 38th administrative examination. He and Kang first met at Gangnam-gu district office — he as a section chief, she as a staff member — before their professional relationship led to marriage.
Among Seoul's senior officials, Jeong has long been recognized for his upright conduct and strong work ethic. With his wife now also earning a promotion, the couple has achieved a shared milestone in their public-service careers.
"Director Jeong Jin-woo has always led by example with an impeccable attitude," a senior Seoul city official said. "The news that his wife has also been promoted to Grade 5 is something to genuinely celebrate."
The couple has two college-age daughters and maintains a close-knit family life.
Jeong's promotion to Grade 1 and appointment as welfare bureau director, combined with his wife Kang's own promotion, have brought the couple a double dose of good news — and a wave of congratulations from colleagues across Seoul's civil service.
seouldream01@heraldcorp.com
