[Interview] Park Gang-su, Mayor of Mapo-gu: "Being a Mayor Is Not Just One Day but 370,000 Days"

District Chief Park: "A Day in the Life of the District Chief is a Collection of 370,000 Residents' Days" Philosophy

Park Gang-su, Mayor of Mapo District, Holds Over 550 Events Since Taking Office on July 1, Checks All Civil Complaints Every Morning... Employees and Residents Praise Him as a ‘Passionate Problem Solver’

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] “A mayor’s day should not be just one day, but 370,000 days.”

Park Gang-su, Mayor of Mapo District, holds this clear philosophy.

Mayor Park reflected on the past six months, saying, “Since the 8th elected term started amid the expectations of 370,000 Mapo residents who desire new changes and leaps more than ever, I believed that my day must be worth the combined days of 370,000 residents. Therefore, I could not afford to waste a single day.”

Driven by this heavy responsibility over six months, Mayor Park is known among Mapo district employees and residents as a ‘passionate problem solver’ and an ‘idea man.’

Since his inauguration last July, Mayor Park has handled over 550 events. Not only on weekends but also carefully managing various large and small events held at community service centers, he has poured passion and determination into ‘a field-oriented mayor and communication-centered administration.’

In particular, as much as “solving civil complaints is half of Mapo’s administration,” Mayor Park is sincerely committed to prompt handling of civil complaints. For this reason, he has never missed a single day of ‘civil complaint inspection’ since taking office.

By 8:20 a.m., he receives all civil complaints submitted through the integrated complaint system from the previous day, going through each one and personally overseeing the direction of their handling. As a result, the number of complaints, which initially reached 700 to 800 cases, has now decreased to around 50.

The reason employees praise Mayor Park as an ‘unprecedentedly passionate problem solver’ is not just this.

The heavy responsibility that ‘a mayor’s day is the combined days of 370,000 residents’ is the source of his passion

Mayor Park emphasizes that the highest virtue of a public official is service and dedication, with the core being ‘swift handling of civil complaints.’ He has created various policies such as the on-site mayor’s office, the 365 communication phone, and the coexistence committee to quickly and accurately resolve residents’ complaints.

A Mapo district official added, “When it comes to residents’ safety, there is no day or night, and he listens to residents’ voices regardless of time or place.” It was also reported that when heavy rain or snow falls in the early morning, Mayor Park personally calls the district’s comprehensive situation room to check for any damage and immediately heads to the site alone if even a single complaint arises.

Holder of multiple patents and ‘idea man,’ unique background demonstrate true value in district administration

Nicknamed ‘Abang,’ short for ‘Idea Bank,’ Mayor Park’s identity as an ‘idea man’ with multiple patents is fully demonstrated in leading the district administration.

When the Itaewon accident occurred, he pointed out the need for large-scale maintenance in the Hongdae area, which has a high floating population and narrow alleys. It was also his idea to start ‘anti-slip pavement’ painted in a highly visible red on the steep club streets.

Likewise, campaign projects such as the ‘Mapo Circular Train Bus,’ which will be responsible for Mapo’s food, sights, and entertainment; ‘compensation housing’ to support residents’ resettlement; and the ‘Nanji Themed Tourism Forest Trail’ using Seoksan (red spider lily) that tells a touching love story, all originated from his ideas.

His special background before taking office?as president of the Korea Disabled Shooting Federation Central Committee, chairman of the Disabled Olympics Athletes Committee Support Group, and organizing chairman of the World Disabled Shooting Championships?along with his longstanding concern for marginalized groups, has been directly reflected in Mapo’s welfare policies. Representative examples include the senior citizen participation ‘Filial Piety Meal’ for residents aged 75 and older, the district-run ‘Sunlight Center’ supporting childbirth encouragement for pregnant women, and the mayor’s direct Disabled Coexistence Committee.

His unique background as co-chair of the Environmental Organizations Council also led to alternatives such as expanding pre-treatment of household waste instead of building an additional incineration plant.

Mayor Park Gang-su stated, “The goal of the 8th elected term district administration is to create ‘Mapo where residents are the owners.’ Since the experts who know Mapo best are its residents, I will devote all my passion and sincerity to resolving complaints by reflecting residents’ voices and preparing development plans for the region.”

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