[Pohang Briefing] Support for Installing 'Electric Vehicle Chargers' in Convenience Facilities, etc.

Mayor Lee Gang-deok of Pohang City is seen visiting Pohang Dongseong High School on the 8th to demonstrate online learning and inspect the site.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Park Dong-wook] Pohang City announced on the 9th that it will support a project to install public electric vehicle (EV) rapid chargers at private convenience facilities such as gas stations, convenience stores, restaurants, and coffee shops within the city.

This project is a collaboration with the Korea Energy Agency to partially subsidize the installation costs of public EV rapid chargers. The Energy Agency supports 50% of the installation cost per charger, and Pohang City additionally provides a subsidy of up to 10 million KRW (50 kW). The installation cost per charger is approximately 30 to 40 million KRW.

The support targets individuals or private businesses (electric vehicle charging operators) selected as beneficiaries of the Korea Energy Agency's '2020 Electric Vehicle Charging Service Industry Promotion Project' who have completed the installation of rapid chargers within Pohang City.

Pohang City currently operates a total of 84 public rapid chargers installed in public facilities such as public parking lots and government offices. For more details, please refer to the Korea Energy Agency or Pohang City websites.

Pohang Agricultural Technology Center Operates 'Pollen Bank'... Solving Difficulties for Fruit Farmers

A scene of self-producing pollen.

The Pohang Agricultural Technology Center is operating a 'Pollen Bank' until April 29 to prevent poor fruit set caused by abnormal weather conditions.

The Pollen Bank provides free rental of artificial pollination equipment for timely artificial pollination and supports farmers in self-producing pollen using flowers they collect themselves. Additionally, as a pilot project for frost and cold damage countermeasures during the flowering period, 31 kg of artificial pollination pollen and 45 pollinators are supplied to fruit farmers.

A Pohang City official urged, "Please actively use the Pollen Bank, which rents artificial pollination equipment, to minimize recent cold damage and conduct timely artificial pollination to produce marketable, well-formed fruit directly linked to the income of fruit farmers."

Pohang City Extends Deadline for Naming Contest of Yanghak Park

Pohang City has extended the deadline for the naming contest of 'Yanghak Park' from the original April 2 to April 17.

Yanghak Park has had ongoing complaints from some residents requesting a name change due to differences in administrative district names and boundaries compared to the current ones.

Anyone residing in Pohang City can participate regardless of age. Detailed information is available on the Pohang City website. The top winner will receive a Pohang Love Gift Certificate worth 300,000 KRW, the excellence prize winner 200,000 KRW, and the encouragement prize winner 100,000 KRW.

A Pohang City official stated, "We hope to establish a green network where the city and nature can breathe together through the creation of urban forest trails and forest restoration in the fragmented park and damaged green areas. This naming contest will be the first step toward the new transformation of Yanghak Neighborhood Park."

Pohang City Provides Incentives to Apartment Complexes Participating in the 'Good Rent Movement'

Pohang City requested cooperation from the resident representative meetings and housing management associations of 56 apartment complexes with daycare centers to encourage participation in the 'Good Rent Civic Movement' to support daycare centers struggling due to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic.

Accordingly, the resident representative meeting of E Apartment in Buk-gu, Pohang, joined the city-level campaign and decided to waive daycare center rent for three months. Pohang City explained that other apartments are actively considering rent reductions, spreading the movement.

Jung Hae-cheon, head of the Pohang City Apartment Housing Division, said, "Incentives will be provided to complexes participating in the Good Rent Movement when selected for community activation support projects and other contests. We will also foster an atmosphere encouraging voluntary participation across all apartment complexes."

Pohang City Offers 'COVID-19' Online Korean Language Education for Marriage Immigrant Women

Online lecture scene.

As group education became difficult due to the high-intensity 'social distancing' caused by COVID-19, Pohang City launched an 'Online Korean Language Education' program on the 8th for about 100 marriage immigrant women.

Six classes are offered according to proficiency levels: absolute beginner, basic, beginner, and intermediate. The classes are conducted by instructors providing video and PPT materials, with learners attending lectures and completing assignments.

Especially, various functions of KakaoTalk (Live Talk, voice messages, group calls, etc.) are utilized to facilitate smooth communication and participation for newly arrived marriage immigrant women.

This online education runs until April 29, with two-hour sessions every Monday and Wednesday, morning and afternoon. The education department plans to extend classes if COVID-19 continues.

Yoon Eun-ha, head of the Women's Childbirth and Childcare Division of Pohang City, said, "We hope this online education will help restore communication among marriage immigrant women, which had been restricted due to COVID-19, and especially help newly arrived women overcome difficulties with unfamiliar Korean."