Songpa District to Shift to "Seven-Bureau System" in Administrative Reorganization... Add Youth Policy Officer

Reorganization into Three Bureaus for Housing, Environment, and Transportation Functions

Songpa District in Seoul, headed by District Mayor Seo Kang-seok, will replace its current structure of six bureaus and one task force with a seven-bureau system starting in January 2027. It will establish a new department to oversee youth policy and create a separate bureau dedicated to urban development projects, including reconstruction and redevelopment.

Songpa District announced its organizational restructuring plan for the 9th popularly elected administration on the 1st. District Mayor Seo Kangseok speaks with residents at a reconstruction and redevelopment association meeting in March. Courtesy of Songpa District.

The district announced on November 1 that it had drawn up a plan to reorganize its administrative structure for the 9th elected administration. Since July 2026, it has gathered opinions from departments and analyzed the organization. The plan is scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2027, following a revision to the Songpa District Ordinance on the Establishment of Administrative Organizations. The district will maintain its total number of authorized positions and reassign existing departments and staff.

Songpa District has a population of 650,000, the largest among Seoul’s autonomous districts. According to the district, 17 of Seoul’s 25 autonomous districts have organizations with seven or more bureaus.

A new Youth Policy Officer will be established under the direct supervision of the deputy district mayor. The office will bring together youth programs currently spread across several departments and identify new support programs. The district will also establish a Senior Welfare Facilities Team in its Senior Welfare Division to oversee the installation and management of welfare facilities, and a Complex Redevelopment Team in its Housing Projects Division to support street-block housing improvement projects and Moa Town developments.

The responsibilities of the existing Urban Modernization Bureau, Transportation and Environment Bureau, and Strategic Planning Task Force will be divided among three bureaus according to their functions. The Housing and Urban Development Bureau will oversee reconstruction, redevelopment, and large-scale urban development; the Environment and Gardens Bureau will handle garden-city policies, the environment, and resource utilization; and the Transportation Operations Bureau will manage infrastructure, including transportation, roads, water management, and real estate.

Projects of the temporary Strategic Planning Task Force, whose term ends on December 31, 2026, will be transferred to the Spatial Development Division of the Housing and Urban Development Bureau. The task force has been pursuing projects including the development of public-contribution facilities on the site of the former Seongdong Detention Center, the Songpa ICT Security Cluster, and the creation of a landmark street along Songpa-daero. The district plans to move these projects into a permanent organization to ensure continuity.

District Mayor Seo Kang-seok said, "Through this reorganization, we will realize Songpa’s vision for its 9th elected administration: a premier residential city, a city amid gardens, a city of culture and art, an inclusive city, and a city that promotes recreational sports and education. We will do our utmost to make Songpa a premier city that serves its residents as its owners."

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