Namyangju Mayor Choi Hyundeok Calls Residents Directly Over Text Complaints... More Than 2,500 Received in Two Months

From everyday inconveniences involving transportation and the environment to policy suggestions
Integrated management system to be established by year-end

Namyangju City in Gyeonggi Province, led by Mayor Choi Hyun-deok, received more than 2,500 opinions from residents over two months through its “Direct Text Message Service for the Mayor.” When a text response is not enough to explain an issue, Mayor Choi calls residents directly to explain how their complaints are being handled and the results of the review.

A poster introducing the direct text-message civil complaint service of the Namyangju mayor. Provided by Namyangju City.

Namyangju City said on October 29 that it had received more than 2,500 complaints in areas including transportation and roads, parks and green spaces, the environment, urban planning, and water and sewer services since the service began on August 24.

Under the service, any resident can text the mayor’s direct line at 010-9614-2330 to report everyday inconveniences or suggest policies. The relevant department reviews and handles each message, then informs the sender of the outcome.

Submissions have ranged from issues closely tied to daily life, such as improving public transportation routes and service intervals, inspecting park facilities and maintaining the environment, and installing additional unmanned collection machines for clear PET bottles, to suggestions for improving city administration. The city reviews complaints through the departments responsible and takes any necessary action.

Mayor Choi calls residents directly when an issue requires further explanation or additional feedback. He does so to hear their views and explain the status of their complaints and the results of the review.

Mayor Choi Hyun-deok visits the Byeollae Station site on September 9 to review facility operations. Provided by Namyangju City.

For issues that are difficult to resolve through a phone call alone, the city arranges an in-person meeting through “Let’s Meet the Mayor.” It also visits complaint sites to check on inconveniences and explore solutions as part of its on-site engagement efforts.

The city plans to establish an integrated management system for the mayor’s direct text-message complaint service by the end of the year. The system is intended to manage the entire process, from receiving complaints to notifying residents of the outcome, in a systematic way and speed up responses.

“A single text message from a resident contains not only everyday concerns but also valuable opinions and hopes for city administration,” Mayor Choi Hyun-deok said. “We will go beyond replying by text. For complaints that require direct communication, I will call residents to hear their views and provide a thorough explanation.”

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