[Seoul District News] Lee Jeong-hoon, Mayor of Gangdong-gu, Reveals on SNS on the 29th His Departure from the Democratic Party after 20 Years Amid Prosecutor Investigation into Family Issues... Dobong-gu Vocational Rehabilitation Facility Dobong Disabled Protection Workshop Produces KF94 'Hamkke Dream Quarantine Mask,' Contributing to Disabled Workers' Income and Local Mask Supply... Nowon-gu Recruiting Operators for Youth Stores No. 7 and 8... Mapo-gu to Install New Houses at Seongmisan on October 21 and 23 from 10 AM... Yangcheon-gu Recruiting Volunteers for 2nd Yangcheon Gardener Program... No. 11
[Breaking News][Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Lee Jeong-hoon, Mayor of Gangdong-gu, has left the Democratic Party of Korea.
On the afternoon of the 29th, Mayor Lee announced on his SNS (Facebook), "Yesterday (28th), I left the Democratic Party, where I had been for 20 years. The reason I left the Democratic Party is that due to family issues, I judged that I should no longer be a burden to the party."
He added, "Although the case is currently under prosecution investigation, the facts were misreported unilaterally by the media, and even though my wife, the victim, requested an explanation to the party's Ethics Committee, it was rejected by a specific ethics committee member."
He also said, "I am confident that the prosecution will accurately clarify the facts of this case," and concluded, "From now on, I will focus solely on district administration and will repay the support of party members and residents more greatly. Thank you."
Mayor Lee is a former student activist from Sogang University, served as a Seoul City Council member, and was elected as the mayor of Gangdong-gu in the 7th local election.
Dobong-gu (Mayor Lee Dong-jin) announced that from last month, the local sheltered workshop for the disabled has begun full-scale production of the KF94 health masks called 'Together Dream Quarantine Mask.'
The Dobong Disabled Sheltered Workshop, a public vocational rehabilitation facility in Dobong-gu, was finally selected for the '2021 Vocational Rehabilitation Facility Function Enhancement Contest' hosted by the Ministry of Health and Welfare. With the project funds secured through this selection, a new mask production line was established within the facility, obtaining approval from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety under the Pharmaceutical Affairs Act and related safety regulations.
The Dobong Disabled Sheltered Workshop (Director Bae Ji-hoon) is a public vocational rehabilitation facility commissioned by Dobong-gu and operated by the nonprofit organization 'Together Welfare.' Twenty severely disabled individuals who have difficulty finding employment work alongside professional personnel in manufacturing quasi-drug products, producing '3D-shaped masks with a breathable four-layer density filter.'
In addition to the disabled workers, the facility employs Dobong-gu social service job specialists and social service personnel supported by the Seoul Northern Probation Center. Profits from mask sales are used for the wages and training costs of disabled workers according to the Ministry of Health and Welfare's vocational rehabilitation facility operation regulations.
Mayor Lee Dong-jin of Dobong-gu said, "By producing masks at the entrusted sheltered workshop in Dobong-gu, we expect a win-win effect of securing local mask supply and creating jobs for severely disabled people."
Nowon-gu (Mayor Oh Seung-rok) is recruiting operators for the 7th and 8th Youth Stores to support capable young people with entrepreneurial dreams.
The program aims to reduce the burden of high deposits and facility investment costs for young entrepreneurs and help them acquire startup know-how through operating youth stores, thereby reducing startup failures when entering the actual market.
Unlike previous youth stores, the 7th and 8th stores will be recruited with predetermined business types. The 7th store is a math teaching aids sales shop, and the 8th store is a food truck.
The 7th store, a math teaching aids sales shop, is located on the first floor of the Nowon Math Culture Center (Junggye 4-dong), with an area of 40.55㎡. The contract period is one year, with the possibility of a one-year extension based on performance. The district government will reduce 50% of the annual rent of 8,237,510 KRW and support store remodeling. Basic startup education (startup procedures, tax, accounting education) and marketing and promotion support will also be provided.
The 8th store is a food truck operating in the Danghyeoncheon Korean Bible University (Sanggye 6,7-dong) section. The food truck is a semi-fixed trailer type provided by the district. The district supports exterior wrapping and installation of basic kitchen facilities inside the trailer. Operators must pay a one-time trailer usage fee of 1.2 million KRW and cover costs for purchasing necessary items beyond district support. The contract period is one year, with a possible one-year extension.
Applicants must be individuals aged 19 to 39 or teams of two or fewer, with no disqualifications for business registration. There is no residency restriction for application, but preference is given to Nowon-gu residents. Non-residents must move their address to Nowon-gu within six months after signing the operation agreement.
The application deadline is October 8. Interested parties can check eligibility and required documents on the Nowon-gu Office website and submit necessary documents via email to the person in charge (hjhj1205@nowon.go.kr).
After screening by the review committee, the operator selection results will be announced on October 14, followed by contract signing, pre-education, and remodeling of the youth stores. The 7th and 8th stores are scheduled to open in mid-November.
Since February this year, Nowon-gu has opened the 1st (cafe) and 2nd (cookie shop) youth stores in the Nowon Math Culture Center and Nowon Culture and Arts Center. In August, the district rented private commercial spaces in Gongneung-dong Noodle Street to open the 3rd to 6th youth stores. These youth stores, featuring various creative ideas such as handmade soap shops, self-painting studios and galleries, design studios, and coding schools, have become opportunities for young people to realize their dreams.
Mayor Oh Seung-rok said, "There is no better teacher than experience," and added, "I hope many passionate young people dreaming of starting a business will show interest and support."
Mapo-gu (Mayor Yoo Dong-gyun) announced that it will recruit participants for the ‘Seongmisan Birdhouse Hanging’ program, which will be held over two days on October 21 and 23 at 10 a.m.
This event, jointly organized by Mapo-gu and the nonprofit organization Life Forest, aims to create a natural ecosystem in Seongmisan by hanging birdhouses throughout the mountain to encourage more bird habitats and harmonious tree growth.
Anyone, including adults and families with children in elementary school or older, can participate. Applications will be accepted from the 4th of next month via the Life Forest website, recruiting 10 people per session for a total of 20 participants. Registration is on a first-come, first-served basis. However, the schedule may change depending on the COVID-19 situation.
Participants will make birdhouses themselves by recycling acacia wood materials felled during Seongmisan’s spring maintenance and will experience hanging the birdhouses on trees. The birdhouses will be made with a diameter of 3 cm and are expected to serve as breeding sites mainly for tits, varied tits, marsh tits, flycatchers, and nuthatches.
The district plans to monitor and manage the installed birdhouses to see if birds settle well and expand birdhouse installations based on the results. Additionally, a complex community center with ecological learning functions to observe and experience Seongmisan’s natural ecology will be constructed.
Since 2019, Mapo-gu has planted over 21,000 trees in Seongmisan, restoring the once barren mountain due to logging into a healthy green forest inhabited by about 50 species of wildlife, including endangered species like the long-tailed tit and natural monument species like the Blakiston's fish owl, making it a popular local park.
Not stopping there, the district currently operates a public-private consensus body for Seongsan Neighborhood Park, including experts, local residents, village communities, and civic groups, to reflect residents’ opinions on Seongmisan’s development, management, and use, promoting sustainable coexistence and cooperation.
Mayor Yoo Dong-gyun said, "The Seongmisan Birdhouse Hanging event is an occasion to create a sustainable ecological environment where wildlife and humans coexist," and added, "I hope it will be a valuable time to raise residents’ awareness of environmental protection and the importance of natural ecology."
Yangcheon-gu (Mayor Kim Soo-young) is recruiting resident volunteers to participate in the 2nd Yangcheon Gardener Training Program until October 3.
‘Yangcheon Gardeners’ are specialized volunteers for garden creation and management, with the 1st generation actively working at places like Sinjeong Herb Garden. The 2nd generation trained through this program will participate as volunteers in managing parks and street gardens within Yangcheon-gu.
The 2nd Yangcheon Gardener Training Program will be held every Monday from October 4 to December 27 for two hours at the Yangcheon Park Book Resting Place. The curriculum includes theoretical classes on various plant characteristics, garden understanding and creation, cultivation management techniques, practical training on garden design and planting, and hands-on experience in creating small gardens by working the soil.
Participants must volunteer at least four times a month for at least one year after completing the training. The program is free, and those who attend at least 10 out of 12 sessions will receive a certificate.
Through this training, participants will gain theoretical knowledge and practical landscaping skills, becoming professionals. Moreover, residents will directly cultivate Yangcheon-gu’s forests and parks, creating urban gardens with local characteristics and contributing to local ecosystem conservation. The district plans to expand gardening projects gradually to various parks, street gardens, and green belts through the Yangcheon Gardeners.
Yangcheon-gu, with abundant park and green infrastructure such as the five major parks along the Mok-dong central axis, nearby mountains like Yongwangsan, Jiyangsan, Sinjeongsan, Galsan, and Anyangcheon, plans to continue discovering diverse gardening projects involving both public and private sectors.
Residents wishing to enroll in the Yangcheon Gardener Training Program can apply via the integrated reservation portal on the Yangcheon-gu Office website. Recruitment is on a first-come, first-served basis until October 3.
Mayor Kim Soo-young said, "With the activities of the 2nd generation Yangcheon Gardeners, Yangcheon-gu will become a more pleasant city of forests and gardens," and added, "I hope residents will participate actively in the training program with pride and affection for creating a garden city in Yangcheon-gu."
Gangdong-gu (Mayor Lee Jeong-hoon) will hold the ‘Gangdong Urban Agriculture Expo’ at the Gangdong-gu Office Open Garden on October 1 and 2.
The expo is designed to provide rest and healing amid the fatigue caused by COVID-19 by offering various urban agriculture exhibitions and experiential events, raising awareness of urban agriculture’s value across diverse fields.
Now in its 11th year, this year’s expo is themed ‘COVID-19 Blue Healing, Together for Greater Value Gangdong Urban Agriculture.’ Exhibitions will be held on October 1 and 2, followed by non-face-to-face experiential events on October 15 and 16.
The exhibition at the Open Garden will showcase ‘autumn crops full of visual appeal,’ including rare fruit crops, presenting a bountiful autumn urban agriculture. Mini gardens that can be easily arranged at home and various herbs and medicinal plants that boost immunity will also be displayed.
The ‘Native Seed Library’ booth, popular nationwide through various media, will exhibit native seeds. A traditional threshing demonstration of rice harvested from the terraced rice paddies at the Urban Agriculture Park will provide children with an educational opportunity to see the food production process firsthand.
Additionally, a ‘Smart Farm’ showcasing future agriculture will be exhibited, featuring LED cultivators that grow plants without sunlight or soil, indicating the future direction of urban agriculture. Various types of box gardens suitable for cultivating crops in building idle spaces and small areas will also be available.
Visitors who bring empty pots to the exhibition can exchange them for masks with the Gangdong Urban Agriculture logo and chrysanthemum tea donated by public-private cooperation committee members, promoting a virtuous cycle.
A community-type non-face-to-face program will also be operated, allowing participation without visiting the site. Participants who pre-register will receive plant cultivation kits delivered to their homes. By uploading experience videos to the Gangdong Urban Agriculture Portal on October 15 and 16, four participants will be selected to receive box garden packages.
Mayor Lee Jeong-hoon said, "I hope this expo will be a time of rest and healing for residents tired of COVID-19," and added, "I encourage many residents interested in the Gangdong Urban Agriculture Expo to participate."
Geumcheon-gu (Mayor Yoo Sung-hoon) will hold the ‘G-Valley Week’ festival from October 6 to 8, turning the COVID-19 crisis into an opportunity and adding dynamism to G-Valley.
Now in its 6th year, G-Valley Week is an industrial and cultural event week jointly promoted by Seoul City, Geumcheon-gu, Guro-gu, Seoul Business Agency (SBA), and Korea Industrial Complex Corporation to promote G-Valley, the center of venture startups. The event is designed for entrepreneurs, workers, and residents to enjoy together and will be held online to prevent COVID-19 spread.
Geumcheon-gu will host the ‘Online Export Consultation’ and the ‘Guro Industrial Complex Workers’ Life Experience Center Special Exhibition.’ The online export consultation identifies promising overseas buyers in IT and information communication sectors and matches them with domestic participating companies to open export opportunities for SMEs. It will be held at the G-Valley support base space of the Seoul Business Agency in Gasan-dong, with 81 SMEs from G-Valley and Seoul and 30 overseas buyers from the New Southern region participating.
The special exhibition ‘Guro Industrial Complex, Embracing the Era’ at the Guro Industrial Complex Workers’ Life Experience Center will be held both online and offline. It revisits the historical significance of the Guro Industrial Complex through popular art works created based on the complex’s background and presents various forms of works such as literature, songs, and films to feel the lives of workers. Due to COVID-19, visitors unable to attend in person can tour the experience center’s interior via the VR exhibition hall on the center’s website.
Mayor Yoo Sung-hoon said, "Although these are difficult times with COVID-19, I want to instill confidence in G-Valley entrepreneurs, workers, and Geumcheon residents that we can overcome this crisis wisely," and added, "I hope this event will help G-Valley, Seoul’s only national industrial complex, to make a fresh start."
Eunpyeong-gu (Mayor Kim Mi-kyung) announced that the chairpersons of the resident autonomy committees of Sinsa 2-dong and Jingwan-dong will participate in the ‘Expanded Executive Meeting’ held on October 1 to discuss local issues.
The ‘Expanded Executive Meeting’ is a regular monthly executive meeting held by the district. The district plans to enhance understanding of district administration by exchanging opinions on local issues through the participation of chairpersons from all 16 dong resident autonomy committees.
At the October meeting, the chairpersons of Sinsa 2-dong and Jingwan-dong resident autonomy committees will attend. The discussion topic will be ‘Activation of Community-linked Programs,’ focusing on resident autonomy projects and local linkage activation projects.
Sinsa 2-dong Resident Autonomy Committee is conducting the ‘Our Village Reading Activist Promotion Plan’ as one of its projects this year. It provides opportunities for cultural enjoyment through reading activities targeting culturally vulnerable groups and strengthens communication networks within the community. Additionally, the ‘Our Village Anyone Star’ project, a 2022 agenda item, promotes the community through village cultural events and video exhibitions linked with cultural content.
Jingwan-dong Resident Autonomy Committee is commemorating the establishment of the Eunpyeong Korean Literature Museum through the ‘Resident-led Book Concert’ project this year, hosting local author lectures and exhibitions to promote book culture development. In 2022, it plans to continue with the ‘Creating a Literary Village in Jingwan-dong’ project, aiming to establish the image of Jingwan-dong as a ‘literary village’ by installing Korean-language signboards under the slogan of coexistence of literature and culture.
Park Eun-mi, chairperson of Sinsa 2-dong Resident Autonomy Committee, said, "Projects like the Our Village Reading Activist Promotion Plan benefit all local residents by activating community networks. We will continue to promote community-linked projects to develop Sinsa 2-dong."
Kim Byung-moo, chairperson of Jingwan-dong Resident Autonomy Committee, said, "With the National Korean Literature Museum scheduled to open in 2024, Jingwan-dong will become a village of literature and culture. Various projects will contribute to improving residents’ cultural level and quality of life."
Mayor Kim Mi-kyung said, "I hope that the participation of resident autonomy chairpersons in district meetings will further activate communication between the public and private sectors," and added, "We will continue to strive to establish various policies for Eunpyeong-gu based on resident autonomy."
Gwangjin-gu (Mayor Kim Sun-gap) is strengthening management by conducting quarantine measures and inspections targeting convenience stores, entertainment facilities, and restaurants in the district due to the extension of social distancing level 4 in the metropolitan area.
The district is conducting weekly rotational inspections of at least eight convenience stores per dong among the 332 registered convenience stores to check compliance with quarantine rules.
Inspection items include ▲prohibition of eating inside convenience stores after 10 p.m. ▲prohibition of using outdoor tables from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. the next day.
Operators and users violating these rules will be fined up to 3 million KRW, and if infection cases caused by quarantine violations are confirmed, the district will claim damages.
Additionally, the district is strengthening inspections of 5,913 establishments under the ‘Quarantine Measures Notice for Entertainment Facilities and Restaurants.’
The targets include ▲5,820 restaurants and cafes ▲93 entertainment facilities such as karaoke bars and nightclubs.
Main inspection points are ▲compliance with operating hours (10 p.m. to 5 a.m.) ▲checking symptoms of workers and users ▲compliance with private gathering limits (maximum six people including vaccinated persons). Especially, habitual violators reported more than five times a week and densely populated areas like ‘Taste Street’ will be subject to joint inspections by public, private, and police authorities.
Upon confirming quarantine violations, the district will impose administrative measures such as ▲fines ▲prosecution ▲operation suspension ▲assembly ban, and claim damages if a causal relationship with confirmed cases is established.
Mayor Kim Sun-gap said, "To overcome the current crisis with record-high daily confirmed cases, active vaccination participation and strict compliance with quarantine rules by each resident are essential," and added, "The district will continue to provide guidance and conduct inspections according to changing quarantine rules."
Seongdong-gu (Mayor Jung Won-oh) will provide a ‘Visiting Bicycle Repair Service’ to apartment complexes in the district until next month.
At temporary repair centers set up in appropriate locations within each apartment complex, bicycle repair specialists will check basic items such as tire inflation and chain oiling, and perform simple repairs like puncture fixes free of charge. Parts replacement services are available with parts costs borne by the user.
The district recruited complexes wishing to receive the service. Ten selected apartment complexes will be visited for a total of 10 sessions over five weeks (twice a week on Tuesdays and Thursdays) until the end of next month.
Seongdong-gu, bordering the longest waterfront in Seoul with a total length of 14.2 km along Cheonggyecheon, Jungnangcheon, and the Han River, has promoted bicycle use by enrolling all residents in bicycle insurance with high coverage and providing diagnostic subsidies since 2017.
In April this year, the district installed pictogram sign blocks with excellent durability and visibility along 8,620 km of roads including Achasan-ro and Gwangnaru-ro to maintain safe distances between cyclists and pedestrians. About 450 new and replaced bicycle racks were installed between Seongsu and Ttukseom stations, where bicycle demand is high, improving user convenience.
The district plans to continue promoting bicycle riding, an eco-friendly transportation mode, by providing practical services to support residents’ healthy and safe outdoor activities during the COVID-19 era.
Mayor Jung Won-oh said, "The number of bicycle users is steadily increasing," and added, "I hope residents will take advantage of the visiting bicycle repair service to have their bicycles checked nearby and use bicycles safely and healthily."
Seodaemun-gu (Mayor Moon Seok-jin) announced on the 29th that it will hold the ‘Parent Citizen School’ and ‘Palm-sized Citizen University via Mobile’ to enhance residents’ awareness and response capabilities regarding family relationships and social phenomena.
The ‘Parent Citizen School’ will be held every Tuesday from 10 a.m. to noon from October 5 to November 2.
The five lectures will cover ▲Attachment relationships that influence a lifetime (Lee Bo-yeon) ▲Divorce of seagull couples - parenting lessons from animals (Choi Jae-chun) ▲The tragic inheritance of child abuse (Kim Hyung-mo) ▲How to fight wisely as a couple (Choi Seong-ae) ▲Understanding 4th Industrial Revolution technology and children’s career paths (Kim Tae-wan).
The ‘Palm-sized Citizen University’ will be held every Thursday from 6 to 8 p.m. from October 7 to November 11.
The six sessions will cover ▲China’s future as envisioned by the Xi Jinping government (Jo Young-nam) ▲Elections at decisive moments in history (Kim Hyun-sung) ▲Philosophical foundations of liberal democracy parts 1 and 2 (Kim Seong-ho) ▲People who speak with hands instead of lips (Lee Gil-bora) ▲Democracy riding the metaverse (Lee Seung-hwan).
Both programs will be conducted online via Zoom, with sign language interpretation provided.
Any Seodaemun-gu resident who pre-registers can attend free of charge. Those attending at least four lectures of the Parent Citizen School or five lectures of the Palm-sized Citizen University will receive certificates.
Applications can be made through the Seodaemun-gu Lifelong Learning Portal or by calling the Education Support Division of Seodaemun-gu Office.
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