Dong-A Pharmaceutical · Sponsor Kim Seyoon and Others Awarded Dongdaemun-gu Social Welfare Merit Citation

[Seoul District News] Dobong-gu Chang 2-dong and Dobong 2-dong Community Centers Designated as Hub Institutions, Donation Boxes Installed for Chuseok... Dongjak-gu Focuses on Identifying Children at Risk of Food Insecurity in September, Providing Meal Support... Guro-gu Converts Semi-basement Spaces into Facilities for Local Residents... Geumcheon-gu Mayor Operates Direct Text-Only Mobile Phone

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Dongdaemun-gu (Mayor Yoo Deok-yeol) awarded commendations to social welfare contributors on the 22nd Social Welfare Day at Dongdaemun-gu Office at 10 a.m. on the 7th.

Social Welfare Day began in 1999 when the Basic Livelihood Security Act's promulgation date was designated as 'Social Welfare Day' during the revision of the Social Welfare Services Act, and the first Social Welfare Day event was held on September 7, 2000. This year marks the 22nd anniversary.

The district awarded commendations to 38 supporters and volunteers, including social welfare workers who have consistently practiced sharing and volunteering, under seven different ranks such as the Mayor of Seoul, Dongdaemun-gu Mayor, and members of the National Assembly.

The awardees include 34 social welfare institution workers who provided various non-face-to-face and small-scale services to prevent care gaps despite concerns about COVID-19 infection, Dong-A Pharmaceutical which has held the Love Sharing Bazaar since 2010 and donated all proceeds, AdResult which has conducted overseas climbing projects for the visually impaired since 2017 for a world shared with the disabled, supporter Kim Se-yoon who has continued small donations for over 10 years, and volunteer Jo Hye-min who has provided educational volunteering for vulnerable children and adolescents, totaling 38 people.

The small-scale commendation ceremony was held with a minimal number of attendees and will be made public on the Dongdaemun-gu Office YouTube channel along with congratulatory videos from various institutions.

Yoo Deok-yeol, Mayor of Dongdaemun-gu, said, “Each social welfare worker active on the ground is a true welfare hero for vulnerable groups in the community suffering from social isolation and economic difficulties due to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic,” adding, “I hope that next year all awardees can gather in one place to encourage each other.”

Dobong-gu (Mayor Lee Dong-jin) is promoting a ‘Chuseok Food Sharing Event’ to help vulnerable groups who have become more financially strained due to COVID-19 enjoy a warm holiday.

The district designated Chang 2-dong Community Service Center and Dobong 2-dong Community Service Center as key hubs by installing ‘Donation Item Collection Boxes’ to allow households to donate and deliver daily necessities. Donation sharing envelopes will also be provided and distributed to local residents.

The donation collection runs from August 30 to September 17, before Chuseok. Residents wishing to participate can donate food and daily necessities through the key hubs (Chang 2-dong and Dobong 2-dong Community Service Centers) during this period.

Acceptable donation items include canned goods, ramen, rice, and other processed foods and daily necessities that can be stored for a long time. However, meat, frozen foods, and items close to their expiration date are restricted due to safety concerns.

Collected items at the key hubs will be gathered, sorted, and inspected at the Dobong Food Bank Market and then distributed to vulnerable groups in the community such as elderly living alone and disabled persons who use the Food Bank Market.

Lee Dong-jin, Mayor of Dobong-gu, said, “We launched this ‘Chuseok Food Sharing Event’ to promote the Dobong Food Bank Market to residents and to share the warm spirit of the community during the holiday. We ask for many people’s participation to spread the culture of donation and sharing.”

Dongjak-gu (Mayor Lee Chang-woo) announced on the 7th that it will intensively identify children at risk of food insecurity and provide meal support throughout September.

This project was prepared to actively identify and support children who need meal assistance because they cannot attend school and thus cannot rely on school meals due to COVID-19.

The support targets children under 18 who have difficulty receiving meals at home, including low-income vulnerable groups such as recipients, near-poverty, and single-parent families with food insecurity concerns (due to guardian’s work, illness, disability, etc.), and households with less than 52% of median income where guardians have limited caregiving ability due to accidents or chronic diseases.

Children at risk of food insecurity for other reasons can also receive meal support after recommendation by homeroom teachers or social workers and review by the Child Meal Review Committee.

Selected children will receive a ‘Dream Tree Card’ that can be used for one meal per day (7,000 KRW) at general restaurants or convenience stores registered with Shinhan Card, or receive lunchbox delivery or group meal support at local child centers.

When using the Dream Tree Card, users can check affiliated stores’ names and locations via the ‘Seoul Dream Tree Card’ app and verify the balance after card registration.

Residents wishing to apply can submit meal application forms online via the Welfare Portal or at their local community service center anytime. For more details, contact the local community service center or the Child and Youth Division.

Park Joo-il, Director of the Child and Youth Division, said, “We will carefully monitor to eliminate meal gaps so that children can grow up healthy and bright without worrying about meals through child meal support.”

Guro-gu (Mayor Lee Sung) is transforming semi-basement spaces into facilities for local residents.

Guro-gu announced on the 7th that it will remodel semi-basement spaces in rental housing, which residents are reluctant to live in, into various spaces for local residents in cooperation with Seoul Housing Corporation (SH).

First, a 35㎡ semi-basement space in Gocheok 2-dong (3-4, Gocheok-ro 33ra-gil) will be converted into a community lounge to strengthen urban regeneration capabilities.

Guro-gu’s Gocheok-ro 33-gil area was selected last year for a preliminary urban regeneration project led by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport based on a resident proposal from Gocheok 2-dong. The community lounge will host resident participation programs and strengthen resident council capabilities.

A 59.9㎡ semi-basement space in Oryu 2-dong (5, Oryu-ro 8na-gil) will be prepared separately for local youth and seniors.

The Youth Project Lab will support 25 youths aged 19-34 who completed IT education at Guro Youth Space Youth Room (1130, Ori-ro), organized into five project teams, to gain practical work experience. Guro-gu will support workshops and project coordination needed by companies and serve as a bridge to match local youth with companies seeking talent.

Another semi-basement space will be used as a mushroom cultivation workshop for seniors to create jobs. The Guro Senior Club will oversee the entire process from cultivation to sales, and profits will be paid to seniors working in the workshop.

To this end, Guro-gu signed a business agreement with SH Corporation on the 3rd to utilize semi-basement spaces in purchased rental housing. The non-face-to-face signing ceremony involved Mayor Lee Sung and SH Acting President Hwang Sang-ha exchanging signed agreements. According to the agreement, SH will lease the facilities free of charge during the operation period, and Guro-gu will be responsible for facility creation, operation, and management.

Seongdong-gu (Mayor Jung Won-oh) will issue 7 billion KRW worth of local currency ‘Seongdong Love Gift Certificates’ starting from the 13th of this month ahead of the major national holiday Chuseok.

Seongdong Love Gift Certificates are local currency issued to revitalize the local economy and increase sales for small business owners amid the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic. Consumers can purchase up to 700,000 KRW per person per month in mobile form at a 10% discount.

This year, a total of 49 billion KRW worth of Seongdong Love Gift Certificates will be issued, nearly tripling the 17 billion KRW issued last year.

To support the local economy affected by the prolonged COVID-19, 15 billion KRW and 14 billion KRW worth of certificates were issued in February and July respectively, with the July issuance selling out within four days, showing strong public response.

Since the first issuance in January last year, the number of Zero Pay affiliated stores accepting Seongdong Love Gift Certificates has increased by about 5,900, demonstrating high participation from small businesses. The district secured a budget of 600 million KRW in the 2021 2nd supplementary budget and plans to issue 7 billion KRW this time and 13 billion KRW in November to revitalize the local economy and boost the economy.

The certificates can be used at 8,879 Zero Pay affiliated stores out of 11,424 in the district, excluding restricted sectors such as entertainment and large-scale stores, language academies with annual sales exceeding 1 billion KRW, large corporate movie theaters, and franchise direct stores operated by large or medium-sized companies.

Consumers can purchase the certificates by downloading Zero Pay mobile applications (Beeple Zero Pay, Check Pay, iBooja, etc.) on their smartphones, registering payment accounts, and selecting from four denominations: 100,000 KRW, 50,000 KRW, 10,000 KRW, and 5,000 KRW.

Unused certificates can be fully refunded within seven days of purchase, and balances can be refunded if at least 60% of the certificate value is used. Additionally, a 30% year-end income deduction is available for payments.

Jung Won-oh, Mayor of Seongdong-gu, said, “Since Seongdong Love Gift Certificates also exempt small business owners and self-employed from payment fees, I hope this leads to actual sales increases. I hope the certificates provide some help to residents and local small businesses struggling due to COVID-19.”

Geumcheon-gu (Mayor Yoo Sung-hoon) will operate a ‘Direct Text Message Phone for the Mayor’ starting September 13, allowing residents to report inconveniences directly to the mayor.

The district plans to realize communication administration by disclosing the mayor’s dedicated phone number to collect a wide range of opinions from residents and reflect them in district administration.

Residents wishing to report grievances, suggestions, or inconveniences can send text messages to the mayor’s phone or inquire via the Integrated Civil Service Support Center phone, and receive progress updates via text.

The district is actively promoting the ‘Mayor’s Text-Only Phone and Integrated Civil Service Support Center Phone’ through the district website, newsletters, SNS, and public facility posters to facilitate easy use.

Yoo Sung-hoon, Mayor of Geumcheon-gu, said, “Due to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic, non-face-to-face administration has increased, prompting us to seek ways to hear residents’ diverse opinions. Through the operation of the mayor’s text-only phone and integrated civil service support center phone, we will provide higher quality administrative services, listen to residents’ voices, communicate, and build a trustworthy Geumcheon-gu.”

Yeongdeungpo-gu (Mayor Chae Hyun-il) has completed preparations for the COVID-19 coexistence national support fund and has begun the full payment process.

The district formed a dedicated task force led by the deputy mayor to ensure quick and efficient payment. A separate call center was also established to provide information on application methods, eligibility, criteria, and appeals to minimize inconvenience for residents.

At the field level, district teams operate in each neighborhood to manage counseling, application desks, frequent disinfection for infection prevention, and promotional activities through local organizations to ensure smooth payment.

The support fund targets households in the bottom 80% income bracket based on health insurance premiums as of the end of June this year, with special criteria applied for dual-income and single-person households.

Single-person households with health insurance premiums under 170,000 KRW, four-person households with single earners under 310,000 KRW, and dual earners under 390,000 KRW are eligible. However, households exceeding 900 million KRW in property tax base or 20 million KRW in financial income last year are excluded as high-asset individuals.

The support amount is 250,000 KRW per person. In Yeongdeungpo-gu, about 270,000 people, or 72.9% of the approximately 370,000 residents, will receive the fund.

Applications can be made online and offline. To reduce congestion, a weekday system based on the last digit of birth year will be implemented during the first week.

Online applications started on the 6th via card company websites/apps, ARS, and Zero Pay websites/apps. Offline applications begin on the 13th at bank counters linked to cards or local community service centers.

Appeals for changes in family relations or health insurance adjustments after June 30 can be made via the National Sinmungo website or local community centers until November 12.

The district plans to provide ‘visiting national support fund application’ services for elderly living alone and severely disabled residents to facilitate applications and prevent omissions.

Chae Hyun-il, Mayor of Yeongdeungpo-gu, said, “I hope the COVID-19 coexistence support fund provides some relief to residents going through difficult times. We will focus administrative efforts to ensure prompt and smooth payment and strengthen various district-level support measures for residents’ stability and local economic recovery.”

Jongno-gu (Mayor Kim Young-jong) will operate the ‘Care SOS Center 1:1 Check-in Service’ from the 6th to November 30 to address care blind spots.

Due to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic, vulnerable residents and households needing care have surged. The district aims to proactively identify potential care recipients and provide active welfare services through community-level efforts.

The target is 1,242 low-income residents aged 70 or older, including basic livelihood recipients and near-poverty groups living in the district. Care managers will sequentially contact them considering age and household size.

Through phone consultations, they will carefully assess individual health status and presence of caregivers, provide information on Care SOS Center services, and immediately connect those judged to need urgent or temporary care to relevant services. This proactive approach delivers information and check-ins without waiting for applications.

The district has operated the Care SOS Center since August last year to respond to increased care demand during the COVID era.

Services include 11 specialized offerings unique to Jongno, such as nutrition support, hygiene support, laundry support, temporary home care, short-term facility admission, meal delivery, accompaniment support, housing convenience, check-ins, health support, and information counseling for seniors, disabled, and middle-aged residents over 50 who have difficulty moving alone or lack family support.

Nutrition support provides warm health porridge or low-sodium meals for residents with diabetes, hypertension, or poor dental condition. Food is safely delivered in insulated bags placed outside the door if the recipient is absent.

Hygiene support includes waste disposal, pest control, disinfection, and environmental improvement, which is especially useful during the COVID-19 pandemic. Laundry support collects, washes, and delivers bedding in cooperation with the Jongno Community Self-Support Center.

Other services include direct home care visits, short-term facility admission during emergency care, meal delivery during health recovery, and accompaniment to hospitals or public offices when external activities are difficult.

Applications for Care SOS Center services can be made by visiting or calling the local community service center. Services are free up to 1.58 million KRW annually for recipients, near-poverty groups, and households below 85% median income (temporarily 100% until December 31, 2021). General residents can use services with personal payment.

Kim Young-jong, Mayor of Jongno-gu, said, “We will actively identify care blind spots at the community level. Until November, we will conduct phone consultations with low-income seniors and provide prompt care services considering their situations.”

Seodaemun-gu (Mayor Moon Seok-jin) will provide free vehicle inspections on the 12th from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in cooperation with the ‘Seoul Automobile Specialized Maintenance Business Association Seodaemun Branch’ to ensure safe driving during the Chuseok holiday.

This year, to comply with social distancing and disperse vehicles, the service will be conducted in a non-face-to-face drive-thru (driver onboard) manner at six maintenance shops in the district.

Eligible vehicles include passenger cars, vans, and cargo trucks under 1 ton. Residents can visit any of the following: Yuil Automobile Workshop (Bukahyeon-dong), Yeonil Automobile Workshop (Yeonhui-dong), Hongjecheon Automobile Workshop (Hongje-dong), Kajen-Hong Eun Branch (Hong Eun-dong), Kia Auto Q-Namgajwa Branch (Namgajwa-dong), and Art Car Lounge (Bukgajwa-dong).

About 30 professional maintenance workers from the branch will form six inspection teams of about five members each to check steering, brakes, tires, transmission, battery, lighting, cooling system, belts, etc. at the respective shops.

They will also check and replenish engine oil, washer fluid, antifreeze, and replace consumables like fuses and bulbs free of charge with support from the maintenance association.

Minor issues will be addressed immediately on-site, and detailed inspections and repair consultations will be provided for abnormal parts.

Moon Seok-jin, Mayor of Seodaemun-gu, expressed gratitude to the association for their warm talent donation, enabling residents to use their vehicles more safely during the holiday.

For more details about the free inspection, contact the Seodaemun-gu Office Traffic Administration Division.

Songpa-gu (Mayor Park Sung-soo) will hold the ‘Songpa Welfare Online Expo’ live on the 10th to commemorate the 22nd Social Welfare Day with resident participation.

The district has held welfare expos and festivals annually to engage with residents, but this year, due to COVID-19, it planned an ‘Online Songpa Welfare Expo’ to deliver various welfare information to residents via live broadcast.

The online expo, organized by Songpa-gu, Songpa-gu Governance Committee, and Songpa-gu Community Security Council, is an interactive communication event where residents directly participate through public-private cooperation. It honors local residents and social welfare workers who contributed to welfare development and promotes welfare services in various fields through online booths.

The ‘2021 Songpa Welfare Online Expo’ will be held in three parts from 2 to 5 p.m. on September 10. The first part features a performance stage showcasing the talents of 10 teams composed of Songpa residents through pre-recorded congratulatory videos.

The second part is the Social Welfare Day ceremony, including commendations for social welfare contributors, reading of the Social Welfare Business Ethics Declaration, and a talk show with the mayor.

The third part introduces Songpa’s welfare services in eight categories (children and youth, women and childcare/health, seniors, disabled, happiness fence, employment and housing, case management, resource development) through live streaming for easy and safe viewing at home.

The forum will be broadcast live on the YouTube channel (Songpa TV). Among viewers who watch and participate in the survey, 100 will be selected by lottery to receive convenience store gifticons worth 10,000 KRW. The event runs from September 10 to 15.

Park Sung-soo, Mayor of Songpa-gu, said, “I hope the ‘Songpa Welfare Online Expo’ offers residents a chance to enjoy performances and share diverse welfare information, providing a brief respite. We will continue efforts to build a more robust social safety net beyond the limits of welfare services during the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Gwanak-gu (Mayor Park Joon-hee) is expanding maintenance projects for recycling clothing collection boxes that have become illegal dumping sites to significantly improve urban aesthetics.

The district currently has 1,150 clothing collection boxes installed, but issues such as illegal dumping around the boxes, lack of management, and deterioration of urban aesthetics have been raised.

In response to ongoing complaints, the district held meetings in August with two contracted management companies (Gwanak-gu Disabled Persons Association and Veterans Association) to establish standards for removal and waste cleanup.

First, a full survey of clothing collection boxes will be conducted in September to assess management status. Then, every month, the management companies will report illegal dumping hotspots, where stickers will be distributed and attached as a priority, with gradual expansion to other areas.

The stickers indicate non-recyclable items and administrative penalties for illegal dumping to raise awareness.

The two management companies will regularly patrol the boxes and handle complaints, while the district will conduct frequent patrols in areas with frequent complaints.

If illegal dumping persists despite sticker posting and patrols, the district plans to cancel occupancy permits.

Upon complaints, management companies will promptly clean waste around the boxes. The district sets a maximum of 3 days for waste cleanup and 14 days for removal. If management fails and complaints continue, the district will actively respond by removing boxes and canceling permits.

Gwangjin-gu (Mayor Kim Sun-gap) produced and distributed ‘Vaccination Completion POP’ signs to restaurants and cafes.

According to social distancing measures effective from the 6th, in level 4 areas, restaurants and cafes can host private gatherings of up to six people if vaccinated individuals are included.

With strengthened incentives for private gatherings of vaccinated persons, confusion was expected at restaurants and cafes due to complaints suspecting violations of quarantine rules.

Therefore, Gwangjin-gu proactively distributed table signs stating ‘This seat is confirmed for vaccinated persons’ to about 6,000 restaurants and cafes from August 28 to 31.

Businesses can verify customers’ vaccination status via QR codes or paper certificates and place the provided signs on tables.

Kim Sun-gap, Mayor of Gwangjin-gu, said, “I hope these signs help self-employed business owners struggling under strengthened quarantine rules such as private gathering bans. We will continue to prepare various policies to support small business owners and self-employed people enduring the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic.”

Nowon-gu (Mayor Oh Seung-rok) is hosting the ‘2021 Nowon Life Love Video Contest’ to prevent suicide and foster a culture of respect for life.

With the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic, the number of residents experiencing social isolation and alienation has increased, but social distancing has made suicide prevention events and education difficult.

Nowon-gu planned this contest to expand non-face-to-face education and raise awareness of life respect through online campaigns.

The contest theme is ‘Suicide Prevention and Respect for Life,’ seeking creative videos such as video letters, webtoon videos, campaigns, and support videos conveying the spirit of life love.

The contest is open to all regardless of region or age. Participants can submit YouTube videos of 3 to 10 minutes or TikTok/YouTube Shorts videos of 10 seconds to 1 minute by October 18 via email (chointer@nowon.go.kr).

Judging will be conducted in two rounds: preliminary screening and final evaluation by judges, selecting 17 works based on theme suitability and creativity, with winners announced on October 29. Prizes include 1 million KRW for the grand prize, 300,000 KRW for two excellence awards, 150,000 KRW for four merit awards, and 50,000 KRW for ten honorable mentions.

Winning works will be uploaded to the Nowon Life Respect TV YouTube channel and used as non-face-to-face suicide prevention promotional materials and life keeper education resources.

Nowon-gu has continuously promoted suicide prevention projects, enacting the first suicide prevention ordinance among Seoul districts in 2010 and implementing various programs.

The suicide prevention team under the health center collaborates with community centers, life keeper volunteer groups, and rental apartment management offices to proactively identify residents with psychological difficulties. Identified high-risk individuals are systematically managed by 57 professional psychological counselors trained as suicide prevention activists through companionship and counseling services.

The district plans to activate various communication channels including YouTube and strengthen age-specific psychological support projects to establish a thorough suicide prevention and response system.

Oh Seung-rok, Mayor of Nowon-gu, said, “Despite difficult circumstances such as COVID-19 and worsening employment markets, Nowon-gu’s suicide rate has declined for two consecutive years, which is rewarding and a responsibility. I ask for much interest and participation so that the culture of respecting life spreads and residents’ awareness changes through this contest.”

Eunpyeong-gu (Mayor Kim Mi-kyung) is extending the application period for the ‘Win-Win Cooperation Commercial Support Project’ to October 15 to alleviate rent burdens on small business owners struggling due to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic.

Started on the 2nd of last month, this project supports landlords who sign win-win agreements with rent increases capped at 3% annually for over five years by providing 2 million KRW for building maintenance costs, creating an environment where small business owners can operate without rent increase burdens.

Landlords wishing to participate must sign a win-win agreement with rent increases capped at 3% for over five years and submit applications, win-win agreements, copies of lease contracts, and tenant business registration certificates by October 15 via mail or visit to the district’s Job and Economy Division.

The ‘Good Landlord Support Project’ that ended on the 31st of last month saw 23 landlords participate, reducing rent by a total of 160 million KRW. Each landlord will receive Seoul Love Gift Certificates ranging from 300,000 to 1 million KRW.

Kim Mi-kyung, Mayor of Eunpyeong-gu, said, “We extended the application period so more small business owners and commercial establishments can operate stably for a long time. We will do our best to prepare various support measures for small business owners and recover the local economy.”

For more details, visit the Eunpyeong-gu website’s announcement board or contact the Job and Economy Division.