Seodaemun-gu, Mapo-gu, and Eunpyeong-gu Hold 'Online Job Fair'

[Seoul Autonomous District News] Seodaemun-gu, Mapo-gu, and Eunpyeong-gu to Hold 'Seoul Northwest 3 Districts Job Fair' Online from July 23 to September 12... Gwangjin-gu Creates Seoul's First Smart Senior Playground 'Senior Park'... Seongbuk-gu Completes Bukaksan Neighborhood Park... Gangseo-gu Recruiting 90 Participants for 'Local Job Project' until August 24... Experience 'A Day Without Plastic' with Nowon Eco Center... Seocho-gu Fully Supports Small Business Owners to Overcome COVID-19... Eunpyeong-gu's Youth E-commerce Startup Program 'Eungeun Market' Thrives

Seodaemun-gu, Mapo-gu, and Eunpyeong-gu to Hold ‘Seoul Northwestern 3 Districts Job Fair’ Online from the 23rd to September 12th

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Seodaemun-gu (Mayor Moon Seok-jin) will hold the ‘Seoul Northwestern 3 Districts Job Fair’ online for three weeks from the 23rd of this month to the 12th of next month.

This fair will be conducted non-face-to-face in accordance with social distancing and changing recruitment methods, allowing participants to meet excellent companies located in Seoul and companies that applied through the Seodaemun-gu Job Plus Center.

Job seekers can access the dedicated fair website to view recruitment briefings and job information and apply to their desired companies.

Additionally, up to 200 people on a first-come, first-served basis can participate for free in ▲career and aptitude tests ▲self-introduction letter writing consulting ▲mock interview consulting, and samples of successful self-introduction letters from each company are also available.

Moon Seok-jin, Mayor of Seodaemun-gu, said, “In a situation where both companies and job seekers are struggling due to prolonged social distancing, I hope this job fair will be of practical help.” For more details, contact the Seodaemun-gu Job Economy Division or the fair’s operating office.

Gwangjin-gu Establishes Seoul’s First Smart Senior Playground ‘Senior Park’

Gwangjin-gu (Mayor Kim Seon-gap) has installed ‘Senior Park,’ Seoul’s first smart senior playground for providing leisure welfare to the elderly, within Gwangjin Supnaru.

Senior Park was prepared to promote elderly health, convenience, and leisure culture improvement in preparation for a super-aged society.

The newly established Senior Park features 15 types of smart play equipment focusing on flexibility and balance to enhance movements essential for seniors to maintain daily life independently.

The smart play equipment is composed of upper body, lower body, whole body, and sensory (cognitive) areas, reflecting the physical characteristics of domestic seniors such as habits and body types, unlike existing strength-centered fitness facilities in parks. Notably, it is differentiated as the nation’s first patented domestic equipment exclusively for seniors.

Senior Hwang Gap-seok (Gwangjang-dong, 78), who visited Senior Park, said, “The existing exercise equipment was difficult because it required strength, but the smart play equipment seems to enhance concentration rather than strength, which is good,” adding, “Located in Gwangjin Supnaru, the surrounding environment is also nice, making me feel refreshed.”

‘Yeongdeungpo Smart Medical Special Zone’ Seeks Partner Institutions

Yeongdeungpo-gu (Mayor Chae Hyun-il) is recruiting ‘Smart Medical Special Zone Partner Institutions’ to lead the growth of Yeongdeungpo’s medical tourism industry and collaborate on its promotion until September 30th.

The district aims to establish a public-private cooperation system across all fields, including medical tourism content development, promotion, and marketing, through the designation of partner institutions, striving to share specialized information and explore development directions to create a sustainable medical tourism city.

Selected partner institutions will be officially appointed as ‘Yeongdeungpo Smart Medical Special Zone Partner Institutions’ for three years from the designation date, receiving benefits such as ▲qualification as committee members ▲online and offline promotional opportunities via the special zone website, multilingual SNS, and information centers ▲inclusion in promotional materials like guidebooks and leaflets ▲translation and interpretation support for foreign medical tourists ▲capacity-building education in medical tourism, among others.

The recruitment targets three fields: ▲medical institutions registered for foreign patient attraction located in Yeongdeungpo-gu ▲travel agencies and agencies involved in patient attraction (no location restriction) ▲lodging, dining, and complex shopping centers equipped with foreigner-friendly infrastructure.

Institutions wishing to participate should submit application forms, business registration certificates, and foreign patient attraction registration certificates (for medical institutions and agencies only) by mail to the Vision Cooperation Division of Yeongdeungpo-gu Office or via email (happyar141@ydp.go.kr) by September 30th.

Application forms and detailed information can be found in the ‘Notices/Announcements’ section of the district website or the ‘Notices’ section of the Yeongdeungpo Smart Medical Special Zone website.

After applications close, document and on-site evaluations will be conducted in October. The first evaluation will comprehensively assess infrastructure for attracting foreign medical tourists, availability of personnel and facilities friendly to foreign tourists, domestic and international medical tourism network establishment, interest in medical tourism, and willingness to participate.

The final partner institutions will be selected through the second evaluation by the Yeongdeungpo Medical Tourism Council, with an appointment ceremony held in November to officially commence activities as partner institutions.

Chae Hyun-il, Mayor of Yeongdeungpo-gu, said, “Yeongdeungpo Smart Medical Special Zone has the potential to grow into a new hub for the medical tourism industry with abundant resources, excellent facilities, and convenient transportation,” adding, “We hope many medical institutions and tourism industries will show interest and participate to help Yeongdeungpo leap forward as an international medical tourism hub city.”

Geumcheon-gu Selected for Urban Landscape Project in the Ginkgo Tree Area of Siheung-dong

Geumcheon-gu (Mayor Yoo Seong-hoon) is promoting an ‘urban landscape project’ to transform the area around Geumharo and Ginkgo Tree Road in Siheung-dong, where the historical and cultural resources ‘Siheung Haenggung’ and ‘Protected Ginkgo Trees’ are located, into a more pleasant and attractive landscape.

The project site in Siheung-dong includes the site of Haenggung (temporary palace) visited by King Jeongjo of the Joseon Dynasty during his royal procession to Jangheonseja (Crown Prince Jangheon). Although the Haenggung no longer exists, three ginkgo trees estimated to be 830 years old are designated as protected trees at the presumed location.

Moreover, the ginkgo tree area is a major route for the ‘King Jeongjo Royal Procession,’ the largest royal parade in Korea, every autumn, but residents find it difficult to recognize this historical significance. Therefore, the district plans to install facilities to make it easier for residents to understand and unify the surrounding streetscape.

Once completed, the ongoing projects such as the Siheung 5-dong complex office building, Siheung Haenggung exhibition hall, Byeoljanggil alley regeneration project, and new community spaces for cultural and artistic groups are expected to create synergy, transforming the area into a space where history and culture come alive.

The ‘urban landscape project’ is a contest project led by Seoul City. This year, Geumcheon-gu secured the maximum amount of 1.5 billion KRW (1 billion KRW from the city and 500 million KRW from the district), planning to start design services in 2022 and complete the project by 2023.

Yoo Seong-hoon, Mayor of Geumcheon-gu, said, “I hope this Siheung Haenggung historical and cultural preservation landscape project will serve as an opportunity to promote Geumcheon-gu’s distinctive historical and cultural resources,” adding, “We will continue to strive to improve residents’ quality of life and enhance the district’s image.”

Dongjak-gu to Conduct Online Voting for 2.5 Billion KRW Resident Participatory Budget

Dongjak-gu (Mayor Lee Chang-woo) will conduct electronic voting to select resident participatory budget projects worth 2.5 billion KRW for next year.

The resident participatory budget system allows residents to directly propose and decide on projects needed in their neighborhood, participating in the budget allocation process.

Before the voting, the district received resident project proposals for about five months from January, with a total of 150 projects submitted. After feasibility reviews and deliberations by the Resident Participatory Budget Committee, projects eligible for voting were selected.

The voting targets include 72 projects across three categories: ▲district-level general projects ▲dong (neighborhood)-specialized projects ▲dong-level general projects, and any Dongjak-gu resident can vote.

Voting is open until 6 PM on September 3rd via the smartphone app ‘mVoting’ or the Seoul mVoting website. Voters can select one project from each category, totaling three projects.

District-level general projects and dong-specialized projects will be selected by combining committee evaluations and electronic voting results, while dong-level general projects will be decided based on the highest votes in electronic voting and included in the 2022 budget.

Last year, 69 projects worth 2.5 billion KRW, including the improvement of the retaining wall landscape at the entrance to Gwachisan in Sadang-dong, were selected as Dongjak-gu resident participatory budget projects and are currently underway.

Seongbuk-gu to Supply 49 Units of Dojeonsuk in the Second Half of the Year

Seongbuk-gu (Mayor Lee Seung-ro) will supply 49 units of Dojeonsuk in the second half of this year.

Dojeonsuk is a mixed-use rental housing designed for one-person creative entrepreneurs (including prospective entrepreneurs), providing office and accommodation in one place.

Since the first supply in 2014, it has expanded to 14 buildings, and with this supply, the total will be 15 buildings with 214 rooms.

The newly supplied 15th building (31 Bogukmunro 16ga-gil) is larger than the existing couple-type units. It is designed to allow entrepreneurial couples to manage both business and family, even after marriage and childbirth, in one space (exclusive area 32.59~56.26㎡, varies by unit).

This aims to prevent cases where existing residents had to leave Dojeonsuk or give up their businesses due to marriage and childcare, supporting housing and jobs simultaneously amid the difficult economic situation caused by COVID-19.

Besides providing hardware such as office space to resident companies, Dojeonsuk also offers software support through agreements with Seoul Housing & Communities Corporation and Seoul Small and Medium Business Administration, including startup mentoring, incubating, and community collaboration.

Notably, the 15th building will pilot an untact facility tour service called ‘Online Room Tour’ using VR technology to prevent COVID-19 spread. It can be viewed on the Seongbuk-gu Office and Seoul Housing & Communities Corporation websites.

Lee Seung-ro, Mayor of Seongbuk-gu, said, “Due to COVID-19, it is difficult for small and medium enterprises, especially small businesses and startups, to survive. I hope this Dojeonsuk supply will help young people save startup costs and establish a foundation to continue their business after marriage and childbirth.” He added, “I hope people can envision a bright future by virtually touring their future homes through non-face-to-face facility viewing. We will continue to make efforts to support youth jobs and startups in various ways.”

The application period is from September 3rd to 10th.

Scenic View of Bukaksan Urban Natural Park (Seongbuk-dong 226-65 Area)

Seongbuk-gu Completes Bukaksan Neighborhood Park Development

Seongbuk-gu (Mayor Lee Seung-ro) completed the development of Bukaksan Neighborhood Park at the end of last month, transforming a long-neglected area with unauthorized buildings and cultivated land at 226-65 Seongbuk-dong into an urban garden featuring walking trails, community spaces, rock gardens, and grass gardens.

The park covers 5,772㎡ and was fully funded by the city, with a total project cost of 3.74 billion KRW for compensation and construction. It includes 36 species of trees such as pine, Japanese maple, and nandina, and about 40,000 herbaceous plants of 51 species like baby giraffe flower, nepophia, and succory planted in rock and grass gardens. Rest facilities such as deck shelters and pergolas, and a wildflower walking trail connecting Seongbuk-dong and Waryong Park were also created.

The second phase of Bukaksan Neighborhood Park development is adjacent to the first phase completed in 2018, the ‘Bukaksan Youth Experience Forest,’ and is expected to be reborn as Seongbuk-gu’s representative living park linked with various historical and cultural resources in Seongbuk-dong such as Hanyangdoseong, Simujang, and Gilsangsa Temple.

Lee Seung-ro, Mayor of Seongbuk-gu, stated, “We will proceed smoothly with the private park development project at 226-32 Seongbuk-dong and the long-delayed Bukaksan Neighborhood Park development project at 226-99 Seongbuk-dong, creating community spaces where residents can enjoy Bukaksan’s beautiful natural scenery and communicate, and spaces for various ecological and cultural experiences linked to Seongbuk-dong’s historical and cultural resources.”

Gangseo-gu Recruiting 90 Participants for ‘Local Job Project’ until the 24th

Gangseo-gu, Seoul (Mayor Noh Hyun-song) is providing public jobs to vulnerable groups facing employment difficulties due to COVID-19.

The district announced it is recruiting participants for the ‘Local Job Project’ until Tuesday, the 24th. The purpose is to ensure livelihood stability for vulnerable groups and secure personnel needed for COVID-19 response.

Applicants must be Gangseo-gu residents aged 18 to under 65 who belong to vulnerable groups (low-income, disabled, etc.) or have experienced job loss or business closure due to COVID-19. Those currently participating in existing public job projects or receiving livelihood benefits are excluded.

A total of 90 people will be recruited, with the project period from September 13th to December 10th. Working hours vary from 3 to 8 hours per day depending on the project.

The projects include ▲administrative support at vaccination centers (13 people) ▲local neighborhood disinfection workers (40 people) ▲disinfection support at KC University (7 people) ▲welfare recipients’ welfare checks (30 people).

Participants in the ‘Vaccination Center Administrative Support’ will assist overall operations to ensure smooth COVID-19 vaccination.

Those in ‘Local Neighborhood Disinfection Workers’ and ‘KC University Disinfection Support’ will perform environmental maintenance and disinfection to prevent community spread of COVID-19.

‘Welfare Recipients’ Welfare Checks’ participants will verify the health and safety of vulnerable residents, mainly by phone due to limited face-to-face contact, with on-site visits if necessary.

For more details, visit the ‘Gangseo-gu Office Website - Notices/Announcements’ section, where application forms are also available.

Interested residents should submit applications and related documents to the Gangseo-gu Job Policy Division (4th floor, 10-10 Yangcheon-ro 57-gil, Gangseo-gu) by Tuesday, the 24th.

The district will select participants based on eligibility, property status, household income, and other criteria, with final selections notified individually on September 8th (Wednesday).

Yongsan-gu Recruiting Participants for Youth ‘Why Not?’ Project

According to the Yongsan-gu Youth Survey Report (November 2020), only 8.5% of youth considering entrepreneurship actually started a business, indicating high barriers to entrepreneurship. Employment and resignation are major concerns for the 20s and 30s, making youth policies for entrepreneurship and job change urgently needed.

Yongsan-gu (Mayor Seong Chang-hyun) is launching the ‘Youth Why Not? (WHY NOT?) Project’ to support youth who want to start a business or change jobs, recruiting participants from the 17th to next month’s 5th as part of the district’s youth policy governance activation project.

The ‘Youth Why Not? Project’ consists of the ‘Startup Expedition Team’ for prospective entrepreneurs and the ‘Job Change Expedition Team’ for workers preparing to change jobs.

The Startup Expedition Team will receive training on government support utilization tips, business and investment plan writing, and investment attraction methods. After training, they will have opportunities for business plan writing, consulting in legal and other fields, and market validation through mock investment competitions.

The Job Change Expedition Team will learn about considerations when resigning, portfolio writing, and successful job change methods, followed by personalized portfolio consulting and mock interviews.

Eligible participants are youth aged 39 or younger residing in Yongsan, with 80 spots available. After the application period ends, document screening will be held on September 6th and 7th, with final participants announced on September 8th. The training location will be notified later.

Interested youth should submit required documents via email to the operating office (esing@intw.co.kr).

Common required documents include application form, consent for personal information collection/use/provision, confirmation of participation intention, and resident registration abstract. The Startup Expedition Team additionally requires a startup item overview, while the Job Change Expedition Team needs a motivation letter, resume, and proof of employment or employment insurance.

Seong Chang-hyun, Mayor of Yongsan-gu, said, “Yongsan is an exceptional district where 24% of its 230,000 population are youth, with youth population increasing despite overall population decline,” adding, “We will be a strong supporter so that youth do not stop challenging themselves.”

Guro-gu Assigns Detailed Addresses to Multi-family Houses and Studios without Detailed Addresses

Guro-gu (Mayor Lee Sung) is conducting a project to assign detailed addresses to multi-family houses, studios, and similar buildings without detailed addresses.

The district announced on the 19th that it is accepting applications for detailed road name addresses to resolve residents’ inconvenience with increasing mail and parcel deliveries in the non-face-to-face era due to COVID-19 and to provide accurate location information for quick response in case of fire or emergency patients.

Detailed road name addresses are additional information such as building unit, floor, and room numbers appended after the building number in the existing road name address. They are assigned to studios, multi-family houses, detached houses, and commercial buildings without unit, floor, or room registration in the building register.

Applications can be made by building owners or tenants via the government’s online portal ‘Government 24’ or by visiting the Real Estate Information Division of the district office or the local community service center. Results can be checked on the road name address information website.

Additionally, Guro-gu plans to assign detailed addresses ex officio and provide detailed address number plates free of charge after field surveys, opinion collection, and objection procedures for 385 detached and multi-family houses without detailed addresses.

Since 2017 through the first half of this year, the district has assigned detailed addresses to 2,129 buildings, including 357 by application and 1,772 ex officio.

Seocho-gu Makes All-Out Efforts to Help Small Business Owners Overcome COVID-19

Seocho-gu (Mayor Cho Eun-hee) is making every effort to support small business owners facing economic difficulties due to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic by preparing various support measures.

As part of the district’s ‘Walking with the Vulnerable Project,’ the main support projects for small business owners include ▲digital transformation education ▲support for closed small business owners in restricted industries ▲local restaurant consulting.

First, the district is conducting the ‘Digital Transformation On-site Support’ project mainly in local alley markets to strengthen small business owners’ digital capabilities and respond to rapidly changing consumer patterns in the contactless environment.

Specifically, the district supports the production of ‘mobile business cards’ for each store in alley markets and provides continuous management by professional curators to help them survive in the digital environment. It also promotes stores through live commerce and social media channels to raise awareness of alley markets and plans to distribute QR code directory books to local residents.

Second is the ‘Support for Closed Small Business Owners in Restricted Industries’ project, which provides 500,000 KRW to business owners who have closed their businesses. As of August 12th, 417 businesses have received support. Initially limited to businesses closed by June 7th, the support period has been extended to November this year to help more small business owners.

Lastly, the ‘Local Restaurant Consulting’ project involves selecting 20 dining establishments in the ‘Bangbae Station Food Alley’ chosen by the public-private-community regional council. From this month, external professional organizations such as the Credit Guarantee Foundation and the Korea Food Service Industry Association will conduct consulting. Preliminary diagnosis and management instructors visit the sites to assess overall management, and a youth experience group evaluates taste and service to set consulting directions.

The district formed the ‘Walking with the Vulnerable’ T/F team in April this year and is promoting 44 detailed projects in seven fields. It plans to systematically analyze performance and hold meetings to manage complaints data and continuously adapt to field needs without blind welfare.

Cho Eun-hee, Mayor of Seocho-gu, said, “In the shadow of deepening polarization due to COVID-19, the sighs of vulnerable people such as small business owners grow louder,” adding, “We will walk together to listen to those sighs, wipe tears, and light the beacon of hope.”

Gangdong-gu Supports Outdoor Advertising Consumption Coupons up to 2 Million KRW to Overcome COVID-19

Gangdong-gu (Mayor Lee Jeong-hoon) is implementing the ‘2021 Outdoor Advertising Consumption Coupon Support Project’ to revitalize local small business owners and support the sales channels of outdoor advertising businesses amid the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic.

The project supports costs up to 2 million KRW for replacing defective or old signs or producing new signs through outdoor advertising businesses registered in the district. Eligible recipients include traditional markets, village enterprises, small business owners, and related organizations within Gangdong-gu.

Those wishing to apply should check the Gangdong-gu website (Gangdong Introduction → District News → Notices/Announcements), prepare the application form and related documents, and submit them to the Urban Landscape Division. Applications are currently being accepted on a first-come, first-served basis until the budget is exhausted.

Additionally, the district plans to support promotional activities for six traditional markets experiencing business difficulties due to decreased visitors by displaying various event and promotional content intensively on electronic billboards for about two months before and after Chuseok.

Lee Jeong-hoon, Mayor of Gangdong-gu, said, “I hope this project will effectively reduce the economic burden on small business owners and help revitalize the stagnant local outdoor advertising market.”

Nowon Eco Center Hosts ‘Living a Day Without Plastic’ Event

Nowon-gu (Mayor Oh Seung-rok) is conducting the ‘Living a Day Without Plastic’ event as part of the Smiling Earth Project at the Nowon Eco Center.

Although only for one day in August, participants experience living without plastic to realize how much plastic they are exposed to in daily life and to consider sustainable alternatives for the planet.

Participation is simple. Visit the Nowon Eco Center website’s notice section for ‘2021 Smiling Earth Project: Living a Day Without Plastic’ or the Nowon Eco Center Naver Band, and post three or more photos with descriptions. Various examples are posted on the website for reference.

Among those who post reviews in the suggested format, winners will be drawn to receive easy-to-clean silicone straws. The giveaway period is September 4th, 11th, and 18th from 10 to 11 AM at the first floor of Nowon Eco Center.

Recently, interest in climate change and diseases has increased due to COVID-19, spreading movements to reduce plastic use, a major cause of carbon emissions and ecological disruption.

The district expects such participation programs to help spread a culture of waste reduction, especially as disposable plastic waste has increased with the expansion of food packaging and delivery culture during the prolonged pandemic.

For more information, contact the Nowon Eco Center.

The district is also leading waste reduction by collaborating with local social economy enterprises to operate the unpackaged store ‘Saerok.’

‘Store 36.5 Saerok’ (Nowon Station underground shopping center), ‘Happiness Center Saerok’ (Gongneung-dong), ‘Village and Node Saerok’ (464 Hwarang-ro, Nowon-gu), and ‘Recycling Store Saerok’ (near Danggogae) are four Saerok stores selling eco-friendly products without packaging, including reusable and biodegradable items, each showcasing unique eco-friendly products.

Oh Seung-rok, Mayor of Nowon-gu, said, “Living without plastic immediately is impossible, but by thinking once more and using less, we can move forward step by step,” adding, “We will continue to build an eco-friendly city through various policies and educational programs.”

Gwanak-gu Operates Smart Unmanned Parking System at Sillim-dong 2nd Public Parking Lot

Gwanak-gu announced that it has completed construction and started operation of the unmanned parking system at Sillim-dong 2nd Public Parking Lot.

Since May last year, the district has been gradually expanding smart unmanned parking systems to provide residents with a pleasant and convenient parking environment, starting with the Sillim-dong 3rd Public Parking Lot located on Sillim-dong Starlight Street.

The current project covers a 180-meter section on Gwancheon-ro 52 (Sillim-dong 1433-141 to Bonglimgyo Samgeori) with a total of 33 parking spaces. Construction began in July and was completed on August 5th, with operations ongoing.

The unmanned parking system, built with a total project cost of 385 million KRW, uses License Plate Recognition (LPR) technology to automatically recognize vehicle numbers upon entry and exit, managed in real-time by the Gwanak-gu Facilities Management Corporation Integrated Management Center.

Parking fees are charged at 250 KRW per 5 minutes on a time basis, and four unmanned payment machines accepting various card payments have been installed. Since the launch of the 7th district administration, the district has secured 243 new parking spaces through constructing 45 building-attached parking lots with 820 spaces, resident-priority parking lots averaging 882 spaces monthly, and promoting shared and complex facilities to alleviate parking difficulties.

Eunpyeong-gu Successfully Completes Youth E-commerce Startup Program ‘Eungeun Market’

Eunpyeong-gu (Mayor Kim Mi-kyung) successfully completed the youth e-commerce startup career program ‘Eungeun Market.’

‘Eungeun Market’ was planned for youth summer vacation from August 2nd to 13th at the Eunpyeong Youth Career and Job Experience Support Center (Director Park Ji-young). It focused on experiencing and exploring the food sector e-commerce industry for youth interested in cooking.

The program was conducted over 10 sessions in collaboration with e-commerce-related companies in Eunpyeong-gu (Uwell Deco, Cheongcheong), including listening to startup stories, managing YouTube channels, producing cooking video content, and operating Naver Shopping Live.

Notably, youth participants created video content on dishes they developed and uploaded them to YouTube, and also conducted Naver Shopping Live sessions, enhancing their e-commerce startup capabilities.

One participant said, “I was glad to learn about a new career related to cooking, which I usually like and am interested in,” adding, “I would like to participate again if similar activities are held.”

Kim Mi-kyung, Mayor of Eunpyeong-gu, said, “I hope this program was of practical help to youth dreaming of entrepreneurship,” adding, “We will continue to operate the center solidly and provide various youth programs to create an Eunpyeong-gu where youth can fully express their talents and abilities.”