Han Dae-hee, the mayor of Gunpo, announced on September 11 that he will implement a significant organizational restructuring to enhance the execution of key promises from his administration and respond to rapidly changing administrative demands.
The restructuring focuses on concentrating administrative efforts on major tasks outlined in the 9th elected term, including urban maintenance, youth policy, administrative innovation, and environmental management, according to Mayor Han.
To facilitate this, the mayor has prepared related legislative proposals, including the 'Partial Amendment to the Gunpo City Administrative Organization and Staffing Ordinance,' which is currently under legislative notice.
Key components of the restructuring include the establishment of an Urban Maintenance Bureau dedicated to redevelopment and reconstruction, as well as a Youth Empowerment Office directly under the mayor.
The Urban Maintenance Bureau will include a newly created Redevelopment Strategy Division, along with divisions for urban planning, urban maintenance, housing, and construction.
This bureau will oversee the redevelopment of the old downtown area and maintenance projects in the aging Sanbon New Town, as well as the designation of leading districts, thus taking charge of Gunpo's urban transformation.
By elevating urban maintenance functions to a separate bureau, Mayor Han aims to focus administrative resources on what he sees as critical projects for the future competitiveness of Gunpo, particularly the revitalization of Sanbon New Town and the old downtown area.
Youth policy will also be reinforced as a core aspect of the administration.
Mayor Han plans to establish the Youth Empowerment Office to promote youth participation in policy-making and develop tailored policies related to housing and entrepreneurship, while also pursuing the designation of Gunpo as a youth-friendly city.
This strategy aims to strengthen the foundation for creating a city that attracts and retains young people, rather than one from which they leave.
The restructuring will also enhance administrative efficiency.
The Daedong Festival, which has been held since 2015, will be abolished following consultations with the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, and the welfare and urban environment-related tasks and personnel previously managed by Gunpo 1-dong will be absorbed into the main office.
By reorganizing tasks by function, the city aims to improve administrative expertise and inter-departmental connectivity, providing citizens with faster administrative services.
In the environmental sector, the existing Waterworks Office will be expanded and reorganized into the Environmental Management Headquarters.
This will consolidate functions related to climate, parks, water supply, sewage, and resource recycling to address carbon neutrality and sustainable urban environments.
Following the restructuring, Gunpo will transition from its current structure of five bureaus, three offices, one business office, and one Daedong to a new structure of six bureaus, one headquarters, and four offices, with the number of departments expected to increase from 50 to 52.
If the restructuring is implemented as planned, the 9th elected term of Gunpo's administration will shift its focus toward transforming the city, retaining youth, and reforming administration.
As the public sector prepares for this large-scale restructuring, there is a mix of anticipation and tension.
With the establishment of new departments and the transfer of responsibilities, changes in personnel and job assignments are expected, drawing significant interest from civil servants.
Particularly, there is keen interest in which personnel will be assigned to key organizations such as the newly created Urban Maintenance Bureau and Youth Empowerment Office.
At the same time, there is optimism that the dedicated organization will enhance policy implementation, especially for tasks requiring collaboration among multiple departments, such as redevelopment and reconstruction and the maintenance of Sanbon New Town.
Mayor Han views this restructuring not merely as an administrative adjustment but as a framework to translate the promises of the 9th elected term into tangible results.
Meanwhile, Mayor Han Dae-hee stated, “This organizational restructuring will serve as an opportunity for the organization and staff to become a 'One-Team' to promote the city's change and development.”
He emphasized, “We will concentrate all our efforts to ensure that citizens can directly experience the rapid and certain changes in Gunpo.”
* This article has been translated by AI.
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