Suwon's Flagship Citizen Participation Platform 'Saebbit Talk Talk' Surpasses 200,000 Members

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Jung Jun-seong] 'Saebbit Talk Talk,' which has established itself as Suwon Special City's flagship citizen participation platform, has surpassed 200,000 members.

Saebbit Talk Talk, which began service in July 2023, is an online civic participation and communication square where anyone can voice opinions and participate in city administration.

While there is a saying that 'public apps are difficult to succeed,' Saebbit Talk Talk proved different. Within one year and five months of service launch, it exceeded 100,000 members in December 2024, and then surpassed 200,000 members on March 8th, one year and three months later. In this year, marking the platform's third anniversary, membership continues to grow steadily (201,962 members as of March 11th).

Saebbit Talk Talk consists of citizen proposals, poll voting, and application submissions. Citizens can easily submit policy proposals and discuss with other citizens through comments on the Saebbit Talk Talk app and website. Good proposals go through discussion and departmental review before being implemented as policy. Public surveys are also conducted to gather citizen opinions.

4,800 Citizen Proposals, 930,000 Comments

Citizen proposal submissions have exceeded 4,800. Opinions approved through review are displayed on the citizen proposals bulletin board, with 930 proposals approved (as of March 11th).

Proposals that receive 100 or more endorsements over 30 days are reviewed by relevant departments and reflected in policy. Ninety-two proposals have been adopted as policy. 'Suwon Saebbit Care Meal Delivery Service,' which delivers food to citizens in need of meal support due to care gaps, is a representative case of a citizen proposal being implemented as policy.

The total number of empathy endorsements from other members for citizen proposals has reached approximately 175,000 accumulated endorsements, with 930,000 comments.

Suwon City was selected as an outstanding proposal activation institution for two consecutive years (2024-25) through its operation of Saebbit Talk Talk with citizens and received the Minister of the Interior and Safety Award. It was also ranked first in Gyeonggi Province's '2025 Proposal Activation Excellence Evaluation for Cities and Counties.'

Ajou University and Kyonggi University Public Administration Departments Open Classes Using Saebbit Talk Talk

Saebbit Talk Talk has established itself as Suwon's flagship citizen participation platform and a public forum for civic discourse.

The public administration departments at Ajou University and Kyonggi University have opened classes utilizing Saebbit Talk Talk and operate the 'Policy Youth Participation Group.' Students have submitted 25 policy proposals, and proposals such as 'Activation Plan for Suwon City Tourism App Touch Suwon' and 'Activation Plan for Unused Space at Suwon Station' have been adopted.

The city also operates content linked to elementary school curricula called 'We Want to Participate Too,' providing opportunities for elementary students to participate in solving community issues. Forty-seven fourth to sixth-grade classes participated, resulting in 201 policy proposals. In 2024, government officials from five Thai provinces and basic local governments visited Suwon City to benchmark Saebbit Talk Talk.

Enhanced Citizen Access Through Integration with Gyeonggi Local Currency App

Last August, the city signed a 'Saebbit Talk Talk and Gyeonggi Local Currency Platform Integration Business Agreement' with Kona AI Co., Ltd., the operator of the Gyeonggi local currency, adding promotional banners and mobile icons for Saebbit Talk Talk to the Gyeonggi local currency app.

By displaying core content (citizen proposals and poll voting) images, many citizens using the Gyeonggi local currency app can now access Saebbit Talk Talk, and an integration system has been built to convert Saebbit Talk Talk mileage into Suwon Pay.

The city grants mileage as a reward for participation activities on Saebbit Talk Talk, which can be converted into local currency for use. A virtuous cycle system has been established where citizen participation is linked to the revitalization of the local economy.

Anyone Interested in Suwon City Can Join

The city plans to establish 'Saebbit Talk Talk Citizen Supporters' in August and further activate the platform with citizens. Saebbit Talk Talk is open to anyone interested in Suwon City, not just Suwon residents.

A city official stated, "By utilizing Saebbit Talk Talk, we will reflect diverse citizen opinions in city administration and build Suwon together with citizens. We will listen to citizens' voices and strive to enhance their quality of life."

Meanwhile, to commemorate Saebbit Talk Talk's 200,000-member milestone, the city will hold the 'We Love You 200,000 Times' event through March 26th. Any Saebbit Talk Talk member can participate through the Saebbit Talk Talk app and website. Two hundred participants will be selected through a raffle to receive mobile gift certificates.