Dongjak-gu launches free line-dancing class tied to open-door policy

Seoul's Dongjak-gu district office announced Monday it has launched a free line-dancing class for residents, timed to coincide with its new open-access policy for the district office building.

The class held its first session last Friday and runs every Friday from 6 to 7 p.m. in the fourth-floor grand auditorium of the Dongjak-gu district office. The pilot program will continue through this month, after which it is set to expand to twice a week — Mondays and Fridays. A professional line-dancing instructor leads each session, and residents may attend free of charge with no advance registration required.

Dongjak-gu fully opened its district office building to the public starting last month, when District Mayor Ryu Sam-young took office. Floors 5 through 10, which had previously been off-limits to visitors, are now accessible to all. The district has also set up an "Open Mayor's Office" on the first floor, where the district mayor meets directly with residents every Tuesday and Thursday. At his inauguration ceremony, Ryu declared that "the people of Dongjak are the owners of this district" and abolished the building's access-control system effective July 1, the day he was sworn in, opening all floors to the public.