Seodaemun District Simplifies Mayor’s Ceremonial Protocols: "Substance Over Formality"

"Broadening Participation, Administration Focused on Residents"

Seodaemun District in Seoul is implementing measures to improve its public office culture, including reducing ceremonial protocols for the district mayor and eliminating the practice of mobilizing residents for events.

Park Woonki, Mayor of Seodaemun District (left), is cooking as part of the "Today I Am a Chef" program. Provided by Seodaemun District Office.

According to Seodaemun District on July 27, the district has designated three key action items: "Reducing ceremonial protocols, broadening participation, and administrative work focused on residents." Ceremonial protocols for the mayor will only be provided during regular working hours and only to the extent necessary for official duties. Outside working hours, staff will not be required to accompany the mayor for simple send-offs or for attending events. For events held on weekends or at night, if department heads have no substantive role, accompaniment will not be provided.

The district will also change the way events are operated. The administration will no longer mobilize residents for events and will instead prioritize voluntary participation. Major events will be livestreamed on YouTube, allowing residents who cannot attend in person to watch. Employees are encouraged to foster an organizational culture that values roles over ranks and substance over formality.

Park Un-gi, the district mayor, has made practical administration the guiding principle of district management since taking office on July 1. On his first day in office, he approved plans to revitalize the Residents’ Autonomy Council as his first official act. At the first work briefing on July 3, he declared that communication centered on residents, the simplification of ceremonial protocols, and the improvement of formal work practices would serve as basic principles. The inauguration ceremony itself lasted about an hour and was broadcast live on YouTube.

Mayor Park stated, “Administration should not exist for formality’s sake, but to improve residents’ lives. We will boldly eliminate unnecessary practices and create tangible changes that residents can feel, by listening closely to their voices through our administrative work.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.