[Seoul District News] Nowon-gu Supports Cooling Supplies like Neckband Fans and Cool Mats for Low-Income Crisis Households, Elderly Living Alone, and Dream Start Children; Provides Livelihood, Medical, and Utility Bill Assistance by Crisis Type... Seongbuk-gu Fully Implements Heatwave Prevention Measures at Temporary Screening Clinics... Gangdong iMOM Taxi Service for Pregnant Women and Families with Infants Under 12 Months... Yangcheon 50 Plus Center Opens from the 4th... Gwangjin-gu Creates 1.2km 'Pet Street' from Guuimun Intersection to Children’s Grand Park Station Intersection... Seongdong-gu Supports Single Women Households
Nowon-gu Expands Support for Heatwave Vulnerable Groups
[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Nowon-gu (Mayor Oh Seung-rok) announced that it will expand support to protect the health and safety of residents vulnerable to heatwaves.
The heatwave vulnerable group support conducted by the district is tailored as needed for various residents, including low-income crisis households, elderly living alone, and Dream Start children.
First, in July, the district focused on providing about 200 regular fans and 240 neckband fans to housing vulnerable groups living in rooftop rooms and goshiwon (small, cheap rooms). In August, cooling products such as cool mats and summer blankets will be provided.
Additionally, customized support will be provided to low-income crisis households experiencing economic difficulties due to the heatwave.
For daily workers who lost their jobs due to the heatwave or households struggling to maintain their livelihood due to business suspension or closure, living expenses ranging from 300,000 to 1,000,000 KRW will be provided depending on family size. In cases of heat-related illnesses such as heatstroke, heat exhaustion, or burns, up to 1,000,000 KRW per household will be provided for medical expenses. Households struggling to pay utility bills due to increased electricity and water usage during the heatwave can receive up to 500,000 KRW in electricity bill support.
Fans will be provided to 400 elderly care recipients vulnerable to heat. Based on a prior preference survey, the cooling products most desired by the elderly will be delivered through care service agencies.
Also, 250 Dream Start case-managed children in Nowon-gu will receive neckband fans that can be worn around the neck. Educational videos on heatwave safety rules will be provided to help children spend the summer safely and healthily.
In particular, case managers regularly check on the children’s well-being and carefully monitor households struggling without cooling equipment to connect them with necessary support.
Furthermore, the district is strengthening well-being checks for health-vulnerable groups during summer. The 'Knock Knock Care Team,' composed of local residents, discovered a man in his 60s who had lost consciousness and collapsed alone during the heatwave in July, saving a precious life. Thanks to the well-established welfare safety net, the district’s support for heatwave vulnerable groups is proving even more effective.
Oh Seung-rok, Mayor of Nowon-gu, said, “We hope this support project helps residents have a somewhat cooler summer,” and added, “We will continue to do our best to protect vulnerable residents from disasters such as heatwaves and cold waves.”
Seongbuk-gu Fully Implements Heatwave Prevention Measures at Temporary Screening Clinics (Seongbuk-gu Office Baram Madang and Gireum Station Eoullim Madang)
Seongbuk-gu (Mayor Lee Seung-ro) is fully activating heatwave countermeasures at COVID-19 screening clinics. Due to a surge in confirmed cases, more citizens are visiting screening clinics, necessitating measures to protect both citizens and medical staff who must wait for long hours in the heat.
Amid record-breaking heatwaves, the district has stocked frozen water and umbrellas at two temporary screening clinics currently operating at Seongbuk-gu Office Baram Madang and Gireum Station Eoullim Madang. Frozen water is distributed to citizens undergoing tests to help them cool down while waiting. One citizen waiting said, “I was worried about waiting nearly an hour in the sweltering heat, but receiving ice water made it bearable. Just seeing the ice in the cooler seems to ease the heat.”
The line of blue umbrellas at the temporary screening clinics also stands out. These umbrellas, provided by the district for heatwave protection, are popular among visitors. The umbrellas are blue to visually convey a sense of coolness. Their large size sufficiently shades from the hot sun, and naturally helps maintain social distancing among those holding umbrellas while waiting.
Additionally, to prevent heatwave damage, shade tents have been installed at waiting areas, and large fans and air conditioners have been added.
Lee Seung-ro, Mayor of Seongbuk-gu, said, “With the ongoing serious spread of COVID-19 and increased testing, no citizen should suffer heatwave damage while waiting in temperatures exceeding 35 degrees Celsius. Seongbuk-gu has stocked frozen water and heatwave protection umbrellas at temporary screening clinics to help citizens escape the heat even briefly, and has added large shade tents and cooling devices to address both heatwave and COVID-19 responses. We hope citizens come for testing with peace of mind.”
Gangdong-gu Launches ‘Gangdong iMOM Taxi’ Mobility Service for Pregnant Women and Families with Infants Under 12 Months
Gangdong-gu (Mayor Lee Jung-hoon) will start operating the ‘Gangdong iMOM Taxi’ mobility support service for pregnant women and families raising infants under 12 months from August 17.
Pregnant women and infants need to visit hospitals regularly for check-ups and vaccinations, but ongoing concerns about COVID-19 infection make public transportation use difficult.
Accordingly, the district decided to operate the ‘Gangdong iMOM Taxi’ mobility service for medical visits by pregnant women and families with infants under 12 months to support healthy childbirth and child-rearing.
After revising related ordinances in March and selecting a contractor in July, the district held a launch ceremony on August 3 with the selected company, Jin Mobility Co., Ltd., to ensure smooth project implementation.
Pregnant women and families with infants registered as residents in Gangdong-gu can use the service, with a taxi mileage support of 30,000 KRW per household.
Service users install a dedicated app, register as members, get approval as eligible users, and then easily access the service through the app.
The service can be used for trips within Seoul and neighboring Gyeonggi-do areas such as Hanam City, for both departure and arrival locations. Mileage unused by December 24 will automatically expire, so users should be aware.
‘Gangdong iMOM Taxi’ dispatches only large premium vans equipped with tablet PCs, droplet protection screens, and air sterilizers, providing services tailored to the needs of pregnant women and families with infants.
Lee Jung-hoon, Mayor of Gangdong-gu, said, “We are striving to develop diverse and detailed policies to actively address the increasingly serious low birthrate issue. Pregnant women and families with infants who have had difficulty using public transportation can safely use ‘Gangdong iMOM Taxi’ even amid COVID-19.”
‘Yangcheon 50 Plus Center’ Opens from the 4th
Yangcheon-gu (Mayor Kim Soo-young) will operate the ‘Yangcheon 50 Plus Center’ from the 4th to support the second chapter of life for middle-aged and older adults.
Yangcheon-gu has a high proportion of middle-aged residents, with those aged 40 to under 65 accounting for 41.5% of the total population. In the era of 100-year lifespans, the district built the ‘Yangcheon 50 Plus Center’ to provide education, counseling, employment and entrepreneurship support, and other services to help middle-aged adults plan their second life.
The center is located on the 4th floor of the Sinwol 6-dong Administrative Complex Town, with a total floor area of 1,045.25㎡. Inside, it features various spaces for the 50+ generation, including the Danuri Hall, Yeoui-ju (如.意.周), two learning rooms, a computer room, shared office, media room, Seorosero (書路書路) book caf?, and counseling rooms.
Each space has a unique purpose: Danuri Hall supports large lectures, film screenings, and performances to help the 50+ generation pursue their dreams; Yeoui-ju provides a community space for people with shared interests, equipped with lockers, tables, and chairs; the computer room offers digital education courses to develop core competencies needed in the 4th Industrial Revolution era; the shared office provides basic infrastructure such as shared office space and equipment to support entrepreneurship and group establishment; and the Seorosero book caf? offers a warm emotional support space through book exchanges.
Under the vision of ‘A platform supporting the courage and innovative life of the Yangcheon 50 Plus generation,’ the center will implement various projects to connect the rich experience and capabilities of middle-aged adults to continuous social activities. These include life planning projects to redesign overall life structure, cultural creation projects supporting hobbies and leisure activities, career development projects based on experience, and community projects to build social networks.
Special customized premium lectures for the middle-aged are noteworthy. Starting with the ‘50+ Special Lecture’ in August, regular semester courses will begin in September. These include offline life school, life picture books, and play reading lectures to help the 50+ generation plan their second half of life.
Courses to support new beginnings using the expertise and careers of the 50+ generation include Flower Tea Meister Level 2 certification, barista certification, basic healing urban agriculture, online shopping mall startup, SNS expert guide, 50+ smartphone director, and group establishment and operation courses.
Additionally, social experiment labs to solve community problems and social contribution activities based on the middle-aged generation’s experience, and the ‘Dudream Classroom’ where senior 50+ generation members teach juniors, provide opportunities for the middle-aged to plan and lead content.
For workers unable to use the center on weekdays, Saturday courses such as ‘Life Composition’ will start, with plans to expand weekend lectures depending on social distancing levels.
The center’s various spaces are available to Seoul citizens aged 40 to 64, open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Those wishing to enroll in programs can apply via the center’s website from 10 a.m. on August 9.
Kim Soo-young, Mayor of Yangcheon-gu, said, “The Yangcheon 50 Plus Center will be a forward base to help the experience and knowledge of the middle-aged generation flow back into social activities. We will actively support the 40s and 60s to draw a wonderful future after retirement through the center.”
Gwangjin-gu Creates 1.2km ‘Pet Street’ from Guui Intersection to Children’s Grand Park Station Intersection
Gwangjin-gu (Mayor Kim Sun-gap) has created Seoul’s first ‘Pet Street’ to guide pet owners on compliance matters around Children’s Grand Park.
‘Pet Street’ was established to contribute to the proper culture of pet ownership, stretching 1.2 km from Guui Intersection to Children’s Grand Park Station Intersection.
Along this street, sign blocks inform pet owners about compliance such as leash use and carrying waste bags. In the future, wood bulletin boards, roadkill prevention road signs, and waste bag dispensers will be installed.
The district plans to install ‘Pet Street’ in stages by 2024 along the Guui?Children’s Grand Park Station?Gunja Station section, creating a pet-themed street around Children’s Grand Park. Eventually, the project will expand to the Achasan area.
Kim Sun-gap, Mayor of Gwangjin-gu, said, “Gwangjin-gu is a popular area for pet owners due to Children’s Grand Park, Achasan, and the Han River, which are great for walking pets. To foster a more mature pet culture, we installed Seoul’s first ‘Pet Street’ on major walking paths and plan to expand it further.”
Gangnam-gu (Mayor Jung Soon-gyun) is holding the second ‘Gangnam-gu Pet Photo and Essay Contest’ following last year, accepting submissions until September 3.
This contest was planned to encourage registration of unregistered dogs during the ‘voluntary animal registration period’ ending in late September, amid increased time spent with pets at home due to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic.
Anyone who loves pets can participate by submitting photos and writings under the theme ‘You, Me, Us Overcoming COVID-19 with Pets.’ Pets are limited to dogs and cats, and dogs must be registered as companion dogs under the animal registration system.
Applications can be made by downloading the ‘application form and pledge’ from the Gangnam-gu website, filling it out, and sending it to the person in charge via email (bge0920@gangnam.go.kr) by September 3. Winners will be announced in September, with prizes of 500,000 KRW for one grand prize winner, 300,000 KRW each for two excellence award winners, and 200,000 KRW each for three encouragement award winners.
Submitted works will be posted on the Gangnam-gu website and exhibited in the lobby of the district office main building and at the mobile dog playground. For details, contact the Regional Economy Division.
Seongdong-gu Anshim 4-piece set is an essential item for women, consisting of various security devices for everyday life.
Seongdong-gu Provides ‘Safety 4-Item Kit’ for Single Women Households and Supports ‘3-Item Set’ Including Home CCTV
Seongdong-gu (Mayor Jung Won-oh) is actively enhancing safety for female single-person households by providing a ‘Safety 4-Item Kit’ and additionally supporting a ‘3-Item Set’ including home CCTV this month.
After establishing a ‘Comprehensive Support Plan for Single-Person Households’ last month and launching a comprehensive package policy, the district confirmed through a ‘Single-Person Household Lifestyle Survey’ conducted last November that different groups have diverse needs.
Many women feel insecure due to insufficient residential safety devices, so the district decided to provide safety items that can be used in daily life to female single-person households.
Through a separate demand survey, four essential items were selected for female single-person households: a door mirror sheet for visibility, fingerprint-resistant door lock film, a personal information protection stamp, and a mini fire extinguisher, forming the ‘4-item set.’ The number of beneficiary households was greatly expanded to 1,000 to allow more recipients to use them.
Additionally, the ‘Safe Home 3-Item Set,’ supported jointly with Seoul City, includes a double lock for the front door, a portable emergency bell, and home CCTV. The district plans to select 100 households in need for this additional support.
Emergency bell installation is also supported for 30 female-owned stores to prepare for emergencies. The district has established a local safety cooperation system with Seongdong Police Station and the Seongdong-gu Healthy Family and Multicultural Family Support Center. When the emergency bell is pressed, it connects to the Seongdong-gu CCTV control center, enabling police to promptly dispatch to the store.
Applications can be submitted via the district or the Seongdong-gu Healthy Family and Multicultural Family Support Center website by preparing the application form and additional documents, then sending them by email or mail. After review and selection, items will be delivered sequentially by courier.
The district also operates various projects for female single-person household safety, including the ‘Safe Return Scout’ app supporting safe returns home, ‘Women’s Safe Parcel Box’ for contactless safe parcel receipt, and ‘Women’s Safe Keeper House’ for emergency evacuation and reporting.
Jung Won-oh, Mayor of Seongdong-gu, said, “This safety set was carefully selected to provide essential items for female single-person households in daily life. We will continue to actively promote support projects for the safety of female single-person households.”
Eunpyeong-gu Launches ‘Safety Support Project for Single Women Households’
Eunpyeong-gu (Mayor Kim Mi-kyung) began accepting applications on the 2nd for the ‘Safety Support Project for Single Women Households’ aimed at residential safety.
This project provides free installation of a Safe Home Set for single women households living in rental or monthly lease housing. The Safe Home Set consists of four items: double lock for the front door, window lock, front door opening sensor, and portable emergency bell.
Last year, the district supported 100 single women households and 30 single-woman stores. This year, the focus is on single women households.
A total of 70 households will be selected, considering rental deposit, applicant conditions, and application order, by a selection committee. Installation of the Safe Home Set will proceed sequentially from October after selection.
Kim Mi-kyung, Mayor of Eunpyeong-gu, said, “We hope this project will help improve safety for women living alone. We will continue efforts to make Eunpyeong-gu a safe place for all.”
The application period is until September 30. Applicants can download the form from the Eunpyeong-gu website, fill it out, and submit it with a copy of the lease contract and resident registration via email (epsafety@naver.com).
Yongsan-gu Provides Expert Consulting for Startups in Entrepreneurship Support Center
Yongsan-gu (Mayor Sung Chang-hyun) is operating a startup consulting program for companies residing in the Youth Entrepreneurship Support Center.
The program aims to create an environment where startups can focus on their core business by providing administrative support (Back-Office) and capacity building through a startup boot camp, helping companies grow solidly.
The program runs from this month through October, jointly operated with Sookmyung Women’s University Campus Town Project Group. The target is startup companies residing in the center, selected through a prior needs survey.
First, the district operates a startup back-office support program. Four resident companies are selected to receive education and support for administrative tasks essential during startup.
Specialized back-office support companies assist with planning and executing work processes, management, finance and accounting, human resources and labor management, and other administrative tasks.
The startup boot camp is a package program providing education, coaching, and funding support. It operates startup programs directly linked to investors to strengthen companies’ practical capabilities.
Ten resident companies are recruited for customized coaching linked with investment firms located in Yongsan-gu. After evaluation, five outstanding companies receive startup activity funds (commercialization funds).
The Youth Support Center spans 710㎡ on the 4th floor of the International Building 4 District Public Facility Building. It was established to discover startup talents with ideas and nurture capable entrepreneurs, contributing to youth job creation and local economic revitalization.
The center includes incubation spaces, small meeting rooms, an operations office, classrooms, and community spaces. Since its opening in October last year, Yongsan-gu and Sookmyung Women’s University Campus Town Project Group have jointly operated it under a business agreement.
Currently, 22 companies reside in the center, including startups like Abu Hakim (CEO Yoo Deok-young) and Lemon Box (CEO Heo Se-wook), which achieved sales exceeding 100 million KRW as of 2020.
Sung Chang-hyun, Mayor of Yongsan-gu, said, “This program was prepared to provide practical help to young entrepreneurs facing the employment cliff era. We will continue to actively support young entrepreneurs to create youth jobs and revitalize the local economy.”
Dongdaemun-gu Expands Public Wi-Fi Installation: 45 Units Installed at District Senior Centers and Sports Facilities
Dongdaemun-gu (Mayor Yoo Deok-yeol) has installed 45 Wi-Fi access points at district senior centers and sports facilities to reduce the digital divide for internet-vulnerable groups, providing service from this month.
Elderly users at senior centers and citizens using sports facilities, who previously felt burdened by data usage costs, can now freely use the internet and videos on smartphones without worrying about communication fees.
To use the newly installed free public Wi-Fi, users can turn on Wi-Fi on their smartphones and select ‘SEOUL,’ the same method as the existing public Wi-Fi ‘Kkachion.’
This project was promoted with 150 million KRW in funding from the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s citizen participation budget.
Last year, the district installed 32 wireless access points, including 18 at Dapsimni Library. This year, 30 units were added to 29 district senior centers and 15 units to two district sports facilities, providing public Wi-Fi services through a total of 670 units across the district.
Yoo Deok-yeol, Mayor of Dongdaemun-gu, said, “It is important to create an environment where wireless internet can be conveniently used in daily life to realize universal communication welfare for residents and reduce communication cost burdens for information-disadvantaged groups. We plan to gradually expand Wi-Fi zones so that residents can enjoy the internet comfortably wherever they stay.”
‘Jung-gu Housing Supply Field Support Center’ Opens
Jung-gu (Mayor Seo Yang-ho) opened the ‘Jung-gu Housing Supply Field Support Center’ on July 20, the first among Seoul’s autonomous districts, to promote the government’s public-led housing supply project under the 2.4 Real Estate Plan.
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced detailed projects to supply quality affordable new housing mainly in Seoul and metropolitan areas by 2025 through the 2.4 Real Estate Plan.
The district has been preparing to open the center since March to introduce government policies in an easy-to-understand way to residents, increase their participation rate, and secure momentum for project promotion by improving the aging residential environment delayed by development.
The ‘Jung-gu Housing Supply Field Support Center’ is located on the first floor of the Chungmu Art Center (387 Toegye-ro) in the Sindang and Hwanghak living area, where 70% of residents live, to strengthen on-site communication functions.
The center’s main tasks include: preparing customized comprehensive response strategies linked to government real estate policies; focusing on leading projects such as transit station areas, small-scale housing maintenance management areas, and major strategic sites (including urban public housing complex projects); and performing on-site communication tasks such as resident participation consent, publicity, counseling, and briefings to approach residents first. Additionally, it will support housing welfare functions such as counseling and loan support for residents wishing to renovate their homes.
Consultations and counseling can be done by visiting the center or contacting the call center.
Jung-gu has continuously discovered project sites aligned with the 2.4 Real Estate Plan. As a result, in April, the southern area of Sindang Station in Sindang 5-dong was selected as a candidate site for a small-scale housing maintenance management leading project by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, and on the 4th, the area around 346 Sindang-dong was selected as a candidate site for the urban public housing complex project.
The area around 346 Sindang-dong, selected as a candidate site, had been a focus of residents’ development demands since 2006 but was halted due to development regulations related to Eungbong Neighborhood Park. This temporary special law opportunity allows improvement of poor living environments in the steep slope multi-family dense area.
Seo Yang-ho, Mayor of Jung-gu, said, “The Jung-gu Housing Supply Field Support Center will prepare more professional counseling and response strategies to propose customized project sites suitable for our district’s issues. We will strive to make it an opportunity for regional development with residents’ trust and participation.”
Mapo-gu Invites You to Walk Along the Han River Night View! ‘Walking Alone Challenge’ Operated
Mapo-gu (Mayor Yoo Dong-gyun) is holding the ‘Moonlight Han River Walking Alone Challenge’ to provide vitality to residents amid the spread of COVID-19.
The ‘Walking Alone Challenge,’ linked to the ‘Top 10 Walkable Paths in Mapo’ selected as the top news in Mapo-gu last year, is now in its 14th edition, with cumulative participation exceeding 20,000 people, gaining popularity as a contactless exercise method.
The participation period is two weeks from August 9 to August 23. To avoid the hot summer sun, walking after sunset is encouraged. Participation is possible ‘non-face-to-face and mobile’ to comply with COVID-19 prevention rules.
To participate, install the ‘WalkOn’ app from Google Play or the App Store, search for ‘Mapo-gu 14th Moonlight Han River Walking Alone Challenge’ in the challenge mode during the operation period (8.9 ~ 8.23), and join.
The walking course starts at Mapo Station and continues through Mapo Bridge, Jeoldusan Martyrs’ Shrine, Seoul Battleship Park, Mangwon Pavilion, and World Cup Stadium Station, covering a 9.3 km route along the beautiful Han River night view for healing.
Participants must prioritize social distancing and mask-wearing while completing missions.
The district will issue challenge completion coupons to the first 200 participants who achieve the walking goal, awarding sports water bottles and commemorative badges.
Additionally, participants who upload photos of Mapo’s beautiful night view taken during the challenge on the Kakao Channel by searching ‘Mapo-gu Health Center Exercise Prescription Room’ will be entered into a draw to receive 10,000 KRW gift certificates for six winners.
Yoo Dong-gyun, Mayor of Mapo-gu, said, “We hope residents, exhausted by the COVID-19 spread and ongoing heatwave, recharge by enjoying the Han River night view through the ‘Moonlight Han River Walking Alone Challenge.’”
Gwangjin-gu Provides ‘4 Major Care Services for Heatwave Preparedness’ for Vulnerable Groups
Gwangjin-gu (Mayor Kim Sun-gap) has launched the ‘4 Major Care Services for Heatwave Preparedness’ to protect vulnerable groups.
This service was established as heatwave warnings in Seoul have lasted over 20 days this summer, aiming to protect vulnerable groups in care blind spots.
The service includes four areas: well-being checks, temporary home care, meal support, and residential convenience. It aims to check on care recipients and support their daily lives. It also includes housing maintenance for summer flood and wind damage and disinfection to prevent infectious diseases.
The Gwangjin-gu Care SOS Center plans to conduct a full survey of households whose care service support has ended to proactively identify new candidates. The main targets are single-person households currently not receiving heatwave support.
Kim Sun-gap, Mayor of Gwangjin-gu, said, “The Care SOS Center’s heatwave measures protect care blind spots and also prevent their occurrence. We will carefully identify and protect vulnerable residents to ensure no one is left out.”
Gwangjin-gu’s Care SOS Center is the first among Seoul’s autonomous districts to expand the eligibility from 100% to 130% of median income. Recently, it provided care services to seniors aged 75 and older who received COVID-19 vaccinations, receiving great responses.
Image of the 2021 College Admission Career Planning Mentoring Metaverse Space located at Dobong Community Center
2021 Dobong Metaverse Career Mentoring Mentee Recruitment
Dobong-gu (Mayor Lee Dong-jin) will operate the ‘2021 Dobong Metaverse Career Mentoring Project’ every Saturday from August 7 to November 20, 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m., providing youth with opportunities to set career directions and creatively and proactively plan their careers.
To prevent COVID-19 spread, the mentoring will be conducted online in a metaverse space based in Dobong-gu Citizen Hall.
‘Metaverse’ is a compound of ‘meta’ meaning transcendence and ‘universe’ meaning the current world, representing a concept beyond simple virtual space, where reality and virtuality are connected and actively interact, more evolved than virtual reality.
In Dobong Metaverse, mentors and mentees create avatars and enter counseling rooms for university admission types to conduct interactive counseling and Q&A.
Mentors are students from the Korea University Student Mentor Association with experience as assistant counselors, providing academic counseling on university admission and majors, as well as emotional counseling for youth concerns.
Mentees are middle and high school students and parents in Dobong-gu. Thirty participants are recruited weekly on a first-come, first-served basis until November 18. Applicants can apply via the Dobong-gu integrated reservation website, email (chaean789@dobong.go.kr), or phone.
Lee Dong-jin, Mayor of Dobong-gu, said, “As communication moves to non-face-to-face spaces, we prepared metaverse online career mentoring for the MZ generation familiar with metaverse. We hope youth can resolve many questions about admissions and careers in a COVID-free metaverse space, greatly aiding career planning.”
Yeongdeungpo-gu Recruits Students for Employment Support Education for Marriage Immigrants
Yeongdeungpo-gu (Mayor Chae Hyun-il) is launching ‘Employment Support Education for Marriage Immigrants’ to help them settle stably in Korea and achieve economic independence through enhanced employment capabilities.
According to Ministry of the Interior and Safety statistics announced last November, Yeongdeungpo-gu has 55,524 foreigners, accounting for 14.1% of the total population, the highest ratio among Seoul’s 25 districts.
The district utilizes the language strengths of marriage immigrants capable of multilingual communication to support employment in specialized fields such as medical and finance, providing customized employment education to cultivate essential computer skills for practical work, aiding stable social settlement and economic foundation.
Education runs from late August to early December, with schedules varying by course.
Courses include medical and financial interpreter training and computer certification acquisition. Medical interpreter courses cover medical interpreting ethics and basic medical terminology, practical training, and simulation. Financial interpreter courses teach business terminology and simulations.
Computer certification (ITQ) courses include Hangul, PowerPoint, and Excel. A VR (virtual reality) mock interview course is also offered to improve interview skills for all students.
Each course enrolls 10-15 students to enhance focus and professionalism, selecting final students through a Korean written test and interview.
All education is held at the Yeongdeungpo-gu Healthy Family and Multicultural Family Support Center, operated flexibly in small face-to-face or non-face-to-face formats depending on COVID-19 distancing levels.
Marriage immigrants residing in the district wishing to enroll should apply by August 10 through the Yeongdeungpo-gu Healthy Family and Multicultural Family Support Center.
Chae Hyun-il, Mayor of Yeongdeungpo-gu, said, “We prepared employment support education so marriage immigrants can fully realize their dreams and capabilities on a stable social and economic foundation. We will continue to support stable settlement and quality of life improvement for multicultural families.”
Gangseo Holds Customized Smart City Idea Contest
Gangseo-gu, Seoul (Mayor Roh Hyun-song) is hosting the ‘Gangseo Customized Smart City Idea Contest.’
The contest aims to actively discover ideas that solve various urban problems encountered in daily life using smart technologies and reflect them in district policies.
Smart technologies include ICT (Information and Communication Technology), IoT (Internet of Things), big data, AI, drones, robots, and other advanced technologies of the 4th Industrial Revolution era.
Contest topics include solutions for local problems and ways to improve residents’ quality of life using smart technology. Participants can propose ideas in one of the following categories: smart farms (urban agriculture activation), personal mobility (parking, barrier-free path guidance, etc.), or others (safety, traffic, environment, health, welfare).
The contest runs from August 4 to September 3. Proposals can be submitted via the Gangseo-gu website under ‘Open Plaza - Online Application.’
Residents, companies, and organizations interested in district administration can participate.
Submitted ideas will be reviewed by the Smart City Division and related departments for creativity, uniqueness, and feasibility, followed by a final evaluation by a judging committee in October.
Prizes include 1,000,000 KRW for the grand prize (1 person), 500,000 KRW each for two excellence awards, 300,000 KRW each for three encouragement awards, and 100,000 KRW each for five participation awards.
The district plans to soon launch ‘Public and Life Information Services Unfolding Before Your Eyes’ and ‘Gangseo Smart Clean Shelter,’ projects developed from resident ideas discovered in last year’s contest.
Gangbuk-gu Operates ‘Dream Growth Camp’ for 104 Low-Income Single-Parent Families with Individual Family Trips
Gangbuk-gu (Mayor Park Gyeom-su) is opening the ‘Dream Growth Camp,’ one of this year’s support projects for single-parent families.
This event is a cultural experience program for low-income single-parent families, providing opportunities to build precious family memories and recharge body and mind.
The camp is conducted per participating family to prevent COVID-19 spread. Participants can choose their preferred dates from this month to December.
The venue is a themed experiential space, the urban zoo ‘Jureong Jureong,’ characterized by animal viewing without fences. Children can touch and observe animals with their families, feeling the preciousness of life.
The district selected 104 single-parent families with children recommended by each dong (neighborhood). Participants receive admission and meal vouchers. After the event, online surveys will be collected to reflect in next year’s cultural programs.
Additionally, this year, the district expanded support benefits for single-parent families. Since May, child-rearing allowances of 100,000 KRW per month have been provided to single-parent families receiving livelihood benefits. Young single parents aged 25-34 receive additional child-rearing support of 50,000 to 100,000 KRW monthly. School supply allowances were also increased to 83,000 KRW annually.
Park Gyeom-su, Mayor of Gangbuk-gu, said, “We hope this program provides families a chance to recharge together in nature, even briefly. We will continue to expand customized programs that instill dreams and hope in children of single parents.”
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