Seoul's Gangseo-gu has selected five outstanding cases of proactive administration for the first half of 2026 — initiatives that addressed residents' everyday inconveniences before they escalated and improved overall quality of life, district Mayor Jin Kyo-hoon said.
The district identifies model cases each half-year in which creative, expert-driven administration has broken from convention to bring tangible change to residents' daily lives.
A total of 18 cases were submitted by district departments and neighborhood community centers in the first half of this year. After a comprehensive review of resident impact, creativity, expertise, and the importance and difficulty of each task, the district selected four individual cases and one collaborative case as the top examples.
The winning cases stood out across a range of fields directly tied to residents' lives, including transportation, the economy, taxation, welfare and public safety.
In transportation, the expansion of straight-through lanes on Gangseo-ro was recognized. The project widened a chronically congested intersection in front of Daea Apartment in Gayang-dong — where traffic had surged following the completion of the Magok district development — from two straight-through lanes to three, easing congestion significantly.
After consulting with the Seoul Metropolitan Government, the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency and other relevant bodies, and gathering resident input, the district added one lane while slightly narrowing the adjacent sidewalk. The existing U-turn lane was kept intact, minimizing disruption for nearby residents using the Olympic Expressway.
In the economic category, the district was recognized for hosting the 2026 Korea Business Expo Gangseo — the first time a Seoul basic local government had secured both a world representatives' conference and a business expo.
Despite limited experience organizing large-scale international events, the district actively engaged in international business competitions to lay the groundwork for overseas exchange, secured sponsorships from related organizations and sharply reduced costs. It also formed a dedicated task force to build close cross-departmental coordination.
As a result, the 2026 Korea Business Expo Gangseo drew 240 companies and more than 1,200 overseas buyers, culminating in MOUs worth $161 million.
In taxation, the district was recognized for promoting electronic submission of resident tax assessment data. Building owners of properties exceeding 330 square meters in total floor area — who are required to submit a building-use statement for resident tax assessment on business premises — can now file the document online via QR code instead of paper.
The district also produced a guidance video featuring its mascot character "Saeromi" to walk residents through the process step by step, lowering the barrier to administrative compliance.
In welfare, the district was recognized for opening Gangseo-gu's first hair salon for people with disabilities. Reflecting the area's status as the Seoul district with the largest population of residents with disabilities, the initiative put community-centered welfare into practice. The district pursued the project within the Seoul Metropolitan Government's Eoullim Plaza, received approval from the city's public property deliberation committee in March, and opened "Hair for You," the district's first disability-accessible hair salon. The opening is expected to significantly ease the difficulties residents with disabilities have faced in accessing everyday grooming services.
In public safety, the district was recognized for introducing AI technology to protect the "golden hour" in responding to missing-person incidents involving dementia patients. Using an AI-based rapid missing-person search system, the district conducted simulated response drills for dementia patient disappearances and turned the training process into a promotional video to guide residents on prevention and response.
Beyond establishing the technical and administrative procedures needed for early detection and swift location of missing dementia patients, the district also presented preventive measures so patients' families and caregivers can respond immediately — further strengthening the community safety net.
Civil servants recognized for proactive administration will receive incentives including the top performance bonus rating, commendation leave and a cash award. The district also plans to produce card-news content on the winning cases for publication on its website, continuing to spread a culture of proactive administration.
"These outstanding proactive administration cases are the result of the district seeking solutions one step ahead, before residents even experience inconvenience," Jin said. "We will continue to identify field-centered, proactive administration that residents can feel in their everyday lives."
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