Who is Section Chief L of S District Office Working with the Attitude of a Seoul District Mayor?

Published 29 Apr.2023 11:30(KST)

Updated 30 Apr.2023 06:56(KST)

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Lee Jeong-hee, Director of Planning and Budgeting in Seongdong-gu, recognized for her expertise by serving twice as the head of the Planning and Budgeting Department, shows a habit of frequently visiting project sites, earning the nickname ‘the director who works with the attitude of a district mayor’... A devout believer herself, she humbly states, "I simply work with a coram Deo (before God) attitude"... In February, she also earned a Ph.D. in Urban Engineering from Hanyang University Graduate School after three years of study.

Lee Jeong-hee, Director of Planning and Budgeting in Seongdong-gu, Seoul, is acknowledged as the top budgeting expert within the district office.

She is nicknamed ‘the Planning and Budgeting Director who works with the attitude of a district mayor’ because she frequently inspects project sites.

Every project involves a budget. Based on her conviction that even a single won should be saved by thoroughly inspecting the site, Director Lee said, “To push a project forward, a budget is essential, but can it be done without seeing the site directly?”

Her philosophy is that even if a specific department is promoting a project, to support it legally or financially, one must properly understand the site.

This attitude is seen as the reason why Director Lee has served twice as the head of the Planning and Budgeting Department in Seongdong-gu.

Cover of Dr. Lee Jeonghee's Doctoral Dissertation

After serving as the head of the Budget Team, she was promoted to Grade 5 and immediately appointed as the Director of Planning and Budgeting. She then served as the Director of Urban Regeneration and as the head of Sageun-dong before being appointed again as the Director of Planning and Budgeting.

In addition to this attitude, she is also an outstanding presenter, having directly briefed on creative district office administration cases at national competitions during her time as team leader, winning the Presidential Award.

Moreover, when work-related consultations are needed, Director Lee actively persuades not only Seoul city officials but also government ministries by visiting them in person, earning great trust from District Mayor Jeong Won-oh, Deputy Mayor Yoo Bo-hwa, and other executives, as well as respect from her juniors.

Director Lee became a topic of interest when she earned her Ph.D. in Urban Engineering from Hanyang University Graduate School on February 25.

In her thesis, she revealed that the facility receiving the highest score in the modernization (consolidation) project of sewage treatment plants, which are perceived as urban nuisance facilities, is the Jungnang Water Reclamation Center located in Seongdong-gu, Seoul, the first sewage treatment facility in Korea. The second place was Seongnam Sewage Treatment Plant in Gyeonggi Province, third was Cheongju Sewage Treatment Plant in Chungbuk, fourth was Gulpo Sewage Treatment Plant in Bucheon, and fifth was Nanji Water Reclamation Center in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, managed by Seoul City.

This was presented in her doctoral dissertation titled “Analysis of the Importance of Idle Land Regeneration and Application Study - Focusing on Cases of Aging Sewage Treatment Plants.”

Notably, Director Lee became a rare case by completing the three-year doctoral program and earning her Ph.D.

She explained, “Korea’s first sewage treatment plant was the Cheonggye Sewage Final Treatment Plant (now Jungnang Water Reclamation Center), and since its establishment, the urban population has increased every year.” She added, “As facilities have increased over more than 30 years, safety issues due to aging facilities have been raised.”

An employee from the Planning and Budgeting Department said, “Director Lee is a role model for all junior public officials,” adding, “We learn a lot from her work attitude, skills, and demeanor.”