District Mayor Yu Bo-hwa shared a dosirak lunch and coffee with about 20 new employees in an informal setting — part of a broader effort to bridge generational and hierarchical divides through programs including "Gongam Talk" discussion sessions and "Seongsu Masil," a tour of the neighborhood's emerging hotspots.
Seongdong-gu District Mayor Yu Bo-hwa has launched a direct outreach initiative with district office employees.
To mark the launch of the ninth directly elected administration, Yu began holding "communication forums" in September aimed at fostering candid dialogue with staff and incorporating their firsthand feedback into district governance.
The forums are designed to move beyond one-way briefings and perfunctory meetings, giving the district mayor and employees a space to speak freely about workplace difficulties and welfare concerns while sharing the policy direction and core values of the new administration. The goal is to build mutual trust, deepen a sense of common purpose and cultivate an organizational culture that respects diversity.
The first program, "Dosirak Day," was held Wednesday in a small conference room on the second floor of the district office, with about 20 new employees taking part. The session was deliberately kept informal — participants shared a dosirak lunch and coffee to encourage relaxed, natural conversation rather than a stiff, structured meeting.
New employees spoke openly about their early experiences and concerns as public servants and exchanged views on working conditions and welfare benefits. Yu drew particular notice for personally brewing drip coffee for the group, a gesture that helped close the distance between the district mayor and staff.
Building on "Dosirak Day," Yu plans to hold two more communication sessions in September, each tailored to different age groups, job grades and levels of work experience. Upcoming programs include "Gongam Talk," open to any employee who wishes to join, where participants will discuss the administration's core values and generational welfare priorities, and "Seongsu Masil," in which Yu will walk through newly prominent spaces in Seongsu-dong with staff to experience the neighborhood's changes and latest trends firsthand.
Beyond the forums, the district plans to maintain ongoing everyday communication with employees, using their input to identify welfare initiatives they can tangibly feel, strengthen day-to-day welfare programs and create a healthier working environment — an approach the district describes as "empathetic, communicative administration."
"The energy to drive the new changes of the ninth administration comes from sharing honest thoughts and finding common ground with the people we work alongside," Yu said. "I will make sure not a single small voice from our employees goes unheard, and actively reflect their input in how we run the organization and deliver welfare benefits, so we can build a healthy workplace culture where everyone enjoys their work and respects one another."
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