[Interview] Lee Chang-woo, Dongjak District Mayor, "Implementing Life-Oriented Smart Administration to Create a Better City"

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Dongjak-gu, which launched the nation's first crosswalk shade project in 2013, is unveiling an advanced version of the 'Smart Shade' this year in preparation for the heatwave.

Lee Chang-woo, Mayor of Dongjak-gu, recently stated in an interview, "We have completed the installation of 20 smart shades utilizing Internet of Things (IoT) technology this summer. The shade project, which began in 2013 using event tents, has now become a nationwide initiative."

◇ Joining Forces to Create a Sustainable Dongjak-style Smart City

To prepare for Dongjak-gu's lifestyle-oriented smart administration and to experiment with various initiatives, the district has partnered with external organizations.

Starting with a memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed in January last year with the Yonsei University Smart City Convergence Service R&D Group to promote smart city development projects, the district further signed MOUs in November with Korea Land and Geospatial Informatix Corporation (LX), Daumsoft, and SK Broadband to link innovative ideas from private companies with big data held by public institutions, thereby establishing a sustainable smart city foundation. Mayor Lee said, "Not only through public-private-academic cooperation but also with residents, we identify various issues across all sectors including ▲crime prevention and disaster management ▲safety and environment ▲health, medical care, and welfare, and solve them by integrating smart technologies."

◇ A City Where Residents Can Live Safely from Disasters

Under the vision of an innovative future city, Dongjak, the district is implementing a smart city based on four major goals: ▲a life-centered inclusive city ▲an innovation-based creative city ▲a sustainable future city ▲a resident-experienced demonstration city. In February, Dongjak-gu was also selected as a finalist in the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport's '2020 Smart City Integrated Platform Construction Project' competition. By the end of this year, the district will establish a smart city safety network by linking the Dongjak-gu CCTV Integrated Control Center with the 112 and 119 emergency call centers, covering crime prevention, disaster management, and traffic sectors. This includes ▲emergency video support for the 112 center ▲emergency dispatch support for 112 and 119 ▲wanted vehicle search support ▲emergency response support for disaster situations ▲prevention support for crimes involving electronic ankle bracelets, enabling rapid response in emergencies. Mayor Lee explained, "Police officers will be able to resolve incidents and accidents more quickly, and firefighters will secure the golden time for fire suppression and rescue before arriving at the scene."

◇ Establishing a Smart Safety Management System to Prevent Accidents

Mayor Lee said, "We are actively adopting smart technologies to prevent safety accidents in advance and protect residents' lives and property. Starting this month, we will fully operate a smart safety management system for the rapid and systematic management of hazardous facilities in the area."

The district completed the system construction last month and will apply it to 650 locations including facilities related to the national safety diagnosis, third-class facilities, private hazardous facilities such as stone retaining walls and embankments, and other construction sites.

The system allows the district, facility managers, and construction supervision companies to generate and attach management QR codes to hazardous facilities. Using smart devices, they input information such as ▲construction site status and inspections ▲progress reports ▲hazardous facility management into the safety management system, which is then built into a database.

This enables the district and supervision companies to monitor all information from the status to management history of hazardous facilities anytime and anywhere, preventing safety accidents in advance.

◇ Building a Smart Pedestrian Path Centered on Safety for All

Additionally, with the amendment of the Road Traffic Act (Min-sik Act) enforced from March 25, the safety system in school zones has been further strengthened. Mayor Lee said, "To prevent child traffic accidents, we established a smart pedestrian path system around Seoul Daerim Elementary School last year using the latest smart technologies." The smart pedestrian path provides services tailored to the characteristics of the project site, including ▲speed warning smart displays ▲smart vehicle approach alerts ▲wireless school arrival time notifications ▲smart intersection alerts. Mayor Lee added, "We will do our best to realize Dongjak as a city where everyone wants to live and that is pleasant to live in by promoting lifestyle-oriented smart policies that fit the district's characteristics and resonate with residents."

◇ A Smart Childcare Environment Where Children and Parents Feel Safe

Last year, the district received the 'Excellent Local Government in Childcare Policy' award and the Presidential Citation in the '2019 Local Government Childcare Merit Government Awards' for promoting the Childcare Office project, which has become a model for childcare policy in Korea. The Childcare Office project strengthens public childcare across all areas, including enhanced entrusted management of daycare centers, personnel innovation, improved working conditions for childcare workers, and the creation of a trustworthy childcare environment.

Recently, with increased concerns about childcare environments due to COVID-19 and fine dust, the district introduced smart air showers equipped with smart technology. After a pilot operation at Moms Heart Cafe in Sadang 3-dong, the installation was expanded to 16 daycare centers in April.

The smart air shower uses IoT sensors to blow off fine dust and monitors indoor air quality 24/7, providing reports to create a safer environment that protects children from infectious diseases and fine dust. Mayor Lee said, "The smart air shower is ready to operate in line with the opening of daycare centers. We will work closely with childcare officials to create an advanced childcare environment where infants, parents, and childcare workers all feel safe."

Moreover, smart technologies are being integrated into areas closely related to residents' health and culture. The district selected seven accessible public facilities and installed Smart Health Zones that anyone can use.

In the Smart Health Zones, residents can continuously manage risk factors such as obesity, blood pressure, and blood sugar, enabling early detection and professional, systematic management of chronic diseases like metabolic syndrome. In addition to self-measurement, when using the app linked to the Smart Health Zone, users receive customized health-related information such as exercise and diet plans suitable for their physical condition via mobile devices.

Furthermore, even amid the COVID-19 situation, residents can safely use non-face-to-face library services anytime and anywhere, as the district has expanded the installation of smart libraries in subway stations where book borrowing and returns are possible.

The first smart library was installed in 2018 at Sindebangsamgeori Station on Subway Line 7, and the second at Chongshin University Entrance Station on Line 4 in December last year. The satisfaction level is high, with over 10,000 books borrowed so far. The district plans to add a third smart library at Jangseungbaegi Station in June this year after consultations with Seoul Metro, with operations starting in July. The district will continue to expand smart libraries mainly in subway stations with high foot traffic.