Gangdong-gu (Mayor Lee Jung-hun) announced that a district official who has established the environment-friendly ice pack collection system has been chosen as a man of merit and received the Presidential Citation at the “1st Active Administration Merit Awards” hosted by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety and Ministry of Personnel Management.

(Awardee: Choi Byeong-ok, Local Industrial Manager, Cleaning Administration Department)

  “Active Administration Merit Awards,” held for the first time this year, aims to select and award outstanding officials who have performed active administration by creating excellent accomplishments through active and creative performance of work, and to spread the culture of active administration in the public offices.

  In this year's government awards, 30 final awardees were selected from public officials of central administrative agencies and local governments as well as employees of public organizations and local corporations through a paper screening, public verification by the people, and national perception survey.

  Among them, Officer Choi Byeong-ok who received the Presidential Citation was recognized of his contributions of establishing an ice pack recycling system, the first of its kind among local government in the country, and drawing cooperation of private sectors, government and companies (small enterprises) to practice virtuous cycle of resources.

  Gangdong-gu paid attention to the fact that ice packs, which are typically used once before being thrown away, can be reused as many times as possible and, in February 2019, established the first-ever eco-friendly ice pack reuse and collection system in the country.

  Last year, the district joined hands with traditional market merchants’ associations and the Environmental Owner Citizens’ Club, a civic organization, to practice recycling of ice packs. Positive responses have been received by supplying recycled ice packs to small business owners who are going through difficult times due to COVID-19. A total of 201,990 ice packs have been collected thus far, reducing about 101 tonnes of living wastes.

  Mayor Lee stated, “I am extremely delighted that contributions of our official who has been actively working to resolve residents’ inconveniences have led to an award. For administration to work well in the field, we need a proactive attitude of the civil officials. We will continue to encourage our officials’ active administration and provide administration services that our residents can sympathize and be satisfied with.”