Gangnam-gu staff say they work like Seoul City Hall employees — and they mean it

"The workload has clearly increased since the ninth elected term began. We are busy, but the sense of fulfillment is just as great."

That is the sentiment making the rounds among staff at the Gangnam-gu district office these days. One employee put it more bluntly: "It feels like we are working at Seoul City Hall." The remark captures how quickly the office has been moving to address issues both inside and outside the district.

Gangnam-gu has a population of about 552,000 and a wide range of administrative demands. Reconstruction has become a particularly prominent area of focus since District Mayor Kim Hyun-gi took office. Because the needs of residents' associations differ from complex to complex, Kim chairs a meeting every Monday to review outstanding issues. Urban environment director Choi Won-seok and reconstruction project section chief Jeon Ji-eun are among the officials kept busy preparing for and following up on those sessions.

The 2026 Gangnam Festival, set to run from Saturday through Monday along Dosan-daero, is another undertaking drawing heavily on the district's resources. Alongside Kim, future culture director Moon Kyung-su, tourism promotion section chief Kim Hye-seon, safety and transportation director Yun Seok-bin and disaster safety section chief Kim Dong-il are all on the ground managing event preparations and safety arrangements.

Seo Hyeok-su, head of the policy communications office, and press team leader Shim Mi-ae have also seen their schedules fill up. "The harder our staff work, the greater the pride we feel in delivering better administrative services to residents," Seo said.

Deputy District Mayor Kim Su-deok, who oversees day-to-day district operations, spoke highly of the staff's performance. "The capabilities of Gangnam-gu employees and their dedication to their work are outstanding," Kim said. "Compared with my time at Seoul City Hall, there is no shortage of things to do here."

Kim spent 12 years as a National Assembly aide and 16 years as a Seoul Metropolitan Council member, giving him broad experience in national affairs, Seoul city administration and Gangnam-gu issues alike.

Known for his sharp grasp of policy context, Kim has adopted the district slogan: "Gangnam, full speed ahead! Residents, fired up! The great transformation of Gangnam!"

The phrase signals his intent to run the district in a markedly different way from his predecessors.

Since Kim took office, major priorities — reconstruction and festivals among them — have been advancing simultaneously, adding to the burden on staff.

When employees say they are "working like Seoul City Hall," the expression carries both the reality of a busier daily routine and a pride in delivering results that residents can actually feel.