[Seoul District News] October 18-31: Exhibition and Photo Zone at Yongsan-gu Office Outdoor Plaza Featuring Quinon City Introduction, Exchange History, Current Status, and Contest Winners... Geumcheon-gu Live Broadcast of 4th Industrial Festival at Geumcheon Youth Harmony Square on 23rd at 4 PM... Dongjak-gu Noryangjin 2-dong, Sangdo 3·4-dong Collect 5.3 Tons of Cans and PET Bottles Over 5 Months, Awarding Over 2.6 Million Points... Mapo-gu Announces Next Year's Living Wage at 10,766 KRW per Hour, 17.6% Higher Than Minimum Wage... Songpa-gu Hosts ‘Hanseong Baekje Cultural Festival National Gugak Competition’ General Division Winner Kim Miso
[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Seongdong-gu (Mayor Jung Won-oh) held the social venture festival "Seoul Forest Social Venture EXPO" over three days from the 15th in the Seongsu-dong Understand Avenue area. Now in its fifth year, the "Seoul Forest Social Venture EXPO" was held under the theme "In the ESG Era, Social Ventures Provide the Answer," with participation from over 160 social venture companies both inside and outside the region.
As ESG (Environment, Social, Governance) has recently emerged as a major social issue, interest in social ventures that create social value through corporate activities has grown. To share and spread various social venture achievements, this expo featured diverse online and offline programs including ▲Social Venture Conference ▲Social Venture Innovation Competition ▲Sales support programs such as live shopping commerce and pop-up stores ▲Exhibition and experience zones for social venture companies.
Especially on the first day, the 15th, a pre-event conference was held featuring impact investment experts from various public and private sectors, discussing "The Current Status and Future of Impact Investment in the ESG Era."
The opening ceremony was graced by various dignitaries including Kwon Chil-seung, Minister of SMEs and Startups; Hong Ik-pyo, Member of the National Assembly; Kim Ki-tae, Secretary for Social Economy at the Blue House; Kim Woo-seung, President of Hanyang University; Na Se-ri, President of Hanyang Women's University; and Cho Kyung-jin, Dean of the Graduate School of Environmental Studies at Seoul National University.
Kwon Chil-seung, Minister of SMEs and Startups, the main government department overseeing social ventures, encouraged in his congratulatory speech, "The Ministry operates various programs supporting social venture startups, R&D, and investments, and is creating a system to measure social value. We will continue to support the growth of the social venture ecosystem that is creating sustainable innovation models."
Jung Won-oh, Mayor of Seongdong-gu, said, "In the era emphasizing social responsibility management, this social venture expo aims to re-examine the value and achievements of social ventures that have taken the lead in solving social problems sustainably. I hope it becomes an opportunity to find ways for creative and skilled social ventures to collaborate with various stakeholders, transform society, and receive more investments to grow."
Additionally, a talk concert themed "The Role of Social Ventures and Citizens in the ESG Era" was held, moderated by broadcaster Julian Quintart, where social venture entrepreneurs and environmental activists discussed innovative ways to practice environmental protection in daily life.
The results announcement and awards ceremony of the "Social Venture Innovation Competition," which selects creative and innovative business models, were also broadcast live on YouTube. In the "Pre-Unicorn" category, Freshcode, proposing a healthy lunchbox subscription service, won the grand prize, and in the "Startup" category, Reharvest, which upcycles food by-products into food ingredients and products, took the grand prize, each receiving 20 million KRW for business development.
Additionally, Family Lab and Jjaekak Aegyo, along with Jiptos, were awarded the grand prize and excellence awards respectively in the "Pre-Unicorn" category. Netspar, Language Development Center, Nangman Nonggaek, Baro Management, and Jeshi Kitchen received grand prizes and excellence awards in the "Startup" category. All recipients receive a certain amount of support funds and investment linkage through seminars with impact investors. Afterwards, Mayor Jung Won-oh of Seongdong-gu, representatives of the award-winning companies, and Park Jae-wook, CEO of the "Unicorn" company Socar, gathered to listen to industry opinions.
Notably, this year's Social Venture EXPO took a new challenge to support social venture sales channels by showcasing products from various social venture companies with social value, including daily necessities, fashion accessories, and food, through live shopping commerce using the Naver platform. A studio stage was set up at Understand Avenue to maximize the on-site experience, presenting products from various social ventures. Additionally, a pop-up store featuring over 100 products from 37 social venture companies was established on-site, receiving praise for various attempts to support market expansion.
The "Social Venture Company Exhibition and Experience Zone" also attracted attention from visitors. The exhibition space served as a venue to re-examine the achievements of social ventures that have taken the lead in solving social problems sustainably amid the era emphasizing ESG across all social sectors after the COVID-19 pandemic. Visitors could directly experience the achievements and positive influence social ventures have made.
Seongdong-gu, which has long focused on the value of social venture companies and efforts for a sustainable society, plans to continue accelerating efforts to solve local issues innovatively in cooperation with various stakeholders including social venture companies. At this expo, Seongdong-gu also signed a public-private cooperation agreement for "Senior Job Creation" with Seongdong Future Job Corporation, which Seongdong-gu directly invested 70% of the capital in establishing.
Mayor Jung Won-oh of Seongdong-gu said, "Through this expo, I realized once again that the future of social ventures in the ESG era is bright and their growth potential is limitless. We will do our best to continue being a reliable partner in the journey of change and growth of social ventures through constant challenge and innovation."
Yongsan-gu (Mayor Seong Chang-hyun) will hold an online and offline exhibition in Yongsan and Quy Nhon City, Vietnam, to commemorate the 25th anniversary of friendly exchanges (1996?2021) between Yongsan and Quy Nhon.
The offline exhibition will be held from October 18 to 31 at the outdoor plaza of the Yongsan-gu office, and from November 1 to 10 at the promotional hall on the first floor of the Yongsan International Exchange Office in Quy Nhon City, Vietnam. The exhibition features 14 banners measuring 1170mm wide by 2070mm high with actual print exhibition walls and a photo zone with a banner measuring 2670mm wide by 2070mm high.
The online exhibition will be open from November 1 to 10 through the websites of the Yongsan International Exchange Office and Quy Nhon City Hall.
Contents include ▲25 years of Yongsan-Quy Nhon exchange records ▲Introduction to Quy Nhon City ▲Related awards ▲Current exchange projects ▲Winning works of the commemorative contest ▲Photo zones of Yongsan Street and Yongsan-Quy Nhon exchange monument, available both online and offline, while major historical, cultural, and tourism information and video materials of Quy Nhon City are provided exclusively online.
Among the contest-winning works exhibited are ▲4 photographs ("Net Repair," "Welcome to Vietnam," "Youth Like Beautiful Petals of Namsan," "Viewing Quy Nhon in Yongsan") ▲2 paintings ("COLORFUL," "Smile of Vietnamese Women") ▲3 videos with QR codes ("That Moment in Yongsan-gu," "Vietnam's Maldives Quy Nhon," "Ngon? Delicious!").
The district held the "Vietnam I Met, Yongsan I Experienced" contest in August, selecting 13 winners and announcing the winning works and awards on the 1st of last month.
Mayor Seong Chang-hyun of Yongsan-gu said, "The strong friendship built over 25 years with Quy Nhon will serve as a catalyst for economic revitalization including tourism industries of both countries. We hope many people will show interest in the commemorative exhibition held online and offline in both cities."
Quy Nhon is a central Vietnamese port city with a population of about 430,000. The exchange began when a Yongsan-gu delegation visited Quy Nhon City on November 8, 1996, delivering a sister city agreement and exchange letter of intent. Since then, various projects have been carried out, including supporting Korean companies entering Vietnam, supporting Vietnamese outstanding students studying abroad, cataract treatment support, building houses of love, and operating the Quy Nhon Sejong Institute.
This year, to commemorate the 25th anniversary of friendly exchanges, a Korean-style architectural complex (pavilion, Korean promotional hall, Korean garden) will be built in Quy Nhon in cooperation with Jeonbuk National University. Also, since January, the district has been operating a "Korea-Vietnam Online Language School" for Yongsan-gu office employees and Quy Nhon Sejong Institute students.
Guro-gu (Mayor Lee Seong) received a commendation from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport at the 17th Korea Local Autonomy Management Competition. This marks the fourth consecutive award since the 14th competition in 2018.
The "Korea Local Autonomy Management Competition" is an annual policy contest hosted by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety to encourage creative policy development by local governments, aiming to improve residents' quality of life and promote national development.
This year, the competition was divided into seven categories: regional economy, cultural tourism, agricultural and specialty products, corporate environment improvement, social welfare services, environmental management, and regional development. A total of 227 policies from 81 local governments were submitted, with 34 selected as excellent cases.
Guro-gu was praised and awarded in the regional development category for the "Anyangcheon Attraction Project."
Once notorious as a polluted stream, Anyangcheon has become a natural urban resting space thanks to efforts by surrounding local governments. Particularly, the area managed by Guro-gu has been developed into an ecological flower garden, becoming a popular spot not only for residents but also for neighboring communities.
Earlier, Mayor Lee Seong pledged during the 2018 local elections to create a green city balancing work and life as a core promise of the 7th local government.
Accordingly, a comprehensive plan was established to develop the Anyangcheon area into a natural resting space comparable to an arboretum. A large-scale greening project was carried out along three major streams in the district?Anyangcheon, Mokgamcheon, and Dorimcheon?covering a total length of 12.61 km and an area of 514,414 square meters.
As a result, in December 2019, an ecological flower garden spanning 17,500 square meters was created on idle land along Anyangcheon, the largest in the southwestern region. Previously covered with reeds and weeds, the area now features rose gardens, wetlands, lawns, iris gardens, and rural experience centers for residents. Visitors can enjoy seasonal flowers and plants such as three-colored willows, king iris, yellow dogwood, and roses in this healing space.
Guro-gu further expanded the project scope to include local governments sharing Anyangcheon. In the first half of this year, eight local governments in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province signed a business agreement for the "Anyangcheon Attraction and Advancement Project."
Through this, they promised to cooperate on establishing a joint basic plan, securing national budget, avoiding excessive overlapping of specific facilities, sharing facilities, creating a 100-ri rose and cherry blossom road, and holding joint festivals. They also set a joint goal to designate Anyangcheon as a national garden within five years.
Geumcheon-gu (Mayor Yoo Seong-hoon) announced that on the 23rd at 4 p.m., it will hold the 4th Industrial Revolution Festival "4th Industrial Revolution, Let's Know~" of the 2021 Geumcheon Youth Harmony Square via a live broadcast on the Geumcheon Youth Center's YouTube channel.
This event is a festival to learn about changes in our lives due to the 4th Industrial Revolution, consisting of a "final debate," "online experience booths," and "youth club performances." To prevent the spread of COVID-19, pre-recorded videos and live broadcasts will be combined.
First, a final debate on the topic "Is the 4th Industrial Revolution really beneficial to us?" will be held. Youth participating online can present their opinions in real time and engage in discussions.
Also, online experience booths will operate using kits to experience new technologies of the 4th Industrial Revolution, such as "making eco-friendly electric cars," "making eco-friendly wind turbines," and "carbon battery experience." Various events including dance, band music, and traditional Korean music performances by youth clubs will also be showcased.
Meanwhile, the "Geumcheon Youth Harmony Square," hosted by Geumcheon-gu and organized by the Geumcheon Youth Center, is a representative youth festival in Geumcheon-gu where young people can freely express their talents. The youth planning group prepares and promotes the entire festival process. From May to August, online opening ceremonies, summer festivals, and career festivals were held, with a closing ceremony upcoming.
Yoo Seong-hoon, Mayor of Geumcheon-gu, said, "The world changing through the 4th Industrial Revolution presents new opportunities and challenges for our youth. We will continue to support young people so they can prepare for the future and fully realize their dreams."
Gangdong-gu (Mayor Lee Jeong-hoon) announced that it has completed the construction of "Gangdong Sharing Power Plant Unit 1" by installing solar panels in a comb-pattern shape on top of the Cheonho rainwater pumping station, contributing to the creation of a renewable energy city through eco-friendly energy production, and has started commercial operation since September.
"Gangdong Sharing Power Plant Unit 1" has a capacity of 98.28 kW and will produce 114 MWh of electricity annually.
By selling the generated electricity and Renewable Energy Certificates (REC) to Korea Electric Power Corporation and others, an annual revenue of approximately 16.4 million KRW is expected, along with a reduction of 1,054 tons of carbon dioxide over 20 years. The Gangdong Sharing Power Plant project is expected to be an excellent example of climate crisis response. The district plans to use the revenue generated for energy welfare projects for vulnerable groups and the expansion of renewable energy supply.
Additionally, "Gangdong Sharing Power Plant Unit 1" will be used as a venue for public promotion and experiential education on renewable energy, advancing Gangdong-style Green New Deal efforts.
Mayor Lee Jeong-hoon of Gangdong-gu said, "This project is expected to play a significant role in creating a virtuous cycle structure for expanding and spreading renewable energy. We will continue our efforts toward carbon neutrality by 2050 without hesitation."
For more details about Gangdong Sharing Power Plant Unit 1, inquiries can be made to the Green Energy Division of Gangdong-gu Office.
Recycling Resource Collection Robot Installed in Front of Noryangjin 2-dong Community Service Center
Dongjak-gu (Mayor Lee Chang-woo) announced that since installing the recycling resource collection robot "Nephron" on April 30, it has collected 5.3 tons (263,892 items) of cans and PET bottles by September and paid a total of 2,601,330 KRW in cash.
The recycling resource collection robot "Nephron" is an AI recycling automatic collection machine that recognizes cans and PET bottles inserted into the input slot using AI sensors, then automatically sorts, compresses, and collects them.
In particular, each time a washed and dried can or PET bottle is inserted into the collection robot, 10 KRW per item is awarded as points. When points exceed 2,000, users can access the Superbin website to convert points into cash.
Collected cans are recycled into aluminum sheets and automobile parts after crushing and washing, while PET bottles are recycled into cushion padding and clothing.
The district installed a total of three units, one each in front of the Noryangjin 2-dong and Sangdo 3 and 4-dong community centers, considering residents' accessibility.
As a result, a total of 263,892 items (39,363 cans and 224,529 PET bottles) were collected and converted into 2,601,330 KRW in cash.
The operation of "Nephron" helped improve residents' awareness that cans and PET bottles are not waste but money, and also reduced waste output by decreasing discarded trash.
Additionally, a customer center operates on weekdays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. to handle complaints, provide guidance on points and cash conversion, and offer overall consultation on the device.
Due to high resident satisfaction and waste reduction effectiveness, the district plans to install the robot in all neighborhoods next year, adding 13 more locations. From next year, waste collection seniors will be able to collect, wash, and directly sell cans and transparent PET bottles to the collection robot company at recycling stations.
Furthermore, the district plans to promote a stable cleaning system and waste reduction culture next year by focusing on ▲creating a clean and waste-reducing culture trusted by residents ▲activating reuse and recycling for resource circulation ▲managing facilities centered on resident convenience, safety, and cleanliness.
To establish clean and safe cleaning facilities with residents, the "Dongjak-Gwanak Joint Resource Circulation Center" will be built to foster a resident-led separation culture and reduce waste.
Choi Seung-baek, Director of the Cleaning Administration Division, said, "After operating the recycling resource collection robot 'Nephron' for five months, the amount of waste cans and PET bottles decreased, and residents could receive cash, resulting in a win-win effect. We ask for continued participation in resource circulation."
"When I saw the amount credited to my bank account, I thought my salary was deposited incorrectly."
Kim Sun-ja (pseudonym), who received her first monthly salary based on the living wage while working in recycling sorting at Mapo-gu Office in March, said, "I thought I would only get about the part-time minimum wage, but the salary was much higher than expected, which gave me peace of mind."
Mapo-gu (Mayor Yoo Dong-gyun) held the Mapo-gu Living Wage Deliberation Committee on the 8th and decided the 2022 living wage at 10,766 KRW per hour, to be applied from January 1 next year.
The district stated that the 2022 living wage was determined comprehensively considering Seoul's inflation rate, the difficult economic situation due to COVID-19, financial conditions, and the minimum wage increase rate.
This amount is 1,606 KRW higher than next year's minimum wage of 9,160 KRW and 0.6% higher than this year's living wage of 10,702 KRW. Working the statutory 209 hours per month, the monthly salary will be 2,250,094 KRW.
The living wage system was introduced to guarantee basic living for low-wage workers, ensuring income slightly higher than the minimum wage by comprehensively considering prices, housing costs, education expenses, and cultural costs.
As of the end of September, 92 local governments nationwide have implemented the living wage system. Mapo-gu enacted the living wage ordinance in July 2015 and has implemented the living wage system since 2016, increasing it by 3,621 KRW (50.7%) over seven years.
The living wage applies to workers directly hired by Mapo-gu and its funded institutions, including recycling sorting workers, sports facility maintenance staff, river environment maintenance workers, and disinfection workers, as well as private consignment workers fully supported by the district budget. However, temporary workers funded by government ministries or Seoul city budgets are excluded.
Yoo Dong-gyun, Mayor of Mapo-gu, said, "Many workers still struggle with low wages during the difficult times caused by COVID-19. We will continue to realize a culture that respects labor and strive to improve workers' quality of life."
Dongdaemun-gu (Mayor Yoo Deok-yeol) opened the "Gamcho Village Community Yard," a resting and cultural space in a neglected idle area, to residents from the 18th as part of the "Jegi-dong Gamcho Village Urban Regeneration New Deal Project."
The "Jegi-dong Gamcho Village Urban Regeneration New Deal Project" aims to create a warm, convenient, and healthy Gamcho Village, with a total budget of 12.5 billion KRW since 2019. The project includes 13 initiatives such as creating community rooms, home repair support, and pedestrian environment improvement.
The "Gamcho Village Community Yard Project," part of the urban regeneration project, installed benches and green spaces on a 23.61 square meter idle lot at Jegi-dong 234-2 to provide a resting place for residents. A bulletin board was also installed to actively share information about Gamcho Village.
Cha Young-deok, representative of the Jegi-dong Gamcho Village Residents' Council, said, "When planning the community yard, we worried about the small space, but after completion, it has become a good space where users of the Dongdaemun Comprehensive Social Welfare Center and nearby elderly residents can gather for meetings and rest. Residents will directly use it and truly feel the urban regeneration project."
Yoo Deok-yeol, Mayor of Dongdaemun-gu, said, "I hope the residents of Jegi-dong Gamcho Village enjoy rest and communication time in the newly created community yard. We will actively proceed with the urban regeneration project to make the village a better place to live."
Gwangjin-gu (Mayor Kim Sun-gap) confirmed the 2022 living wage at 10,766 KRW per hour following the decision of the Gwangjin-gu Living Wage Deliberation Committee on the 12th.
The 2022 living wage is 64 KRW (0.6%) higher than this year's 10,702 KRW and 1,606 KRW higher than the government's announced minimum wage of 9,160 KRW for next year.
The living wage system guarantees income slightly higher than the minimum wage so that workers can live a dignified life, considering factors such as ▲prices ▲housing costs ▲education expenses.
Gwangjin-gu enacted the living wage ordinance in July 2015 and has implemented the living wage system since 2016.
The 2022 living wage will be applied for one year from January 1, targeting workers directly hired by Gwangjin-gu and its funded institutions (100% district-funded projects and some national and city-subsidized projects) and participants in fully district-funded private consignment projects.
Kim Sun-gap, Mayor of Gwangjin-gu, said, "The slight increase in next year's living wage was decided considering the prolonged COVID-19 impact on the economy, the district's financial conditions, and the gap with the minimum wage. We will continue to do our best to stabilize workers' lives and improve their quality of life."
Seodaemun-gu (Mayor Moon Seok-jin) prepared resident human rights education to raise awareness of human rights sensitivity and understanding of the rights of socially vulnerable groups.
The education will be conducted online via the Zoom video conferencing program on November 2 and 4 from 3 to 5 p.m.
On the first day, Professor Jang Han-up, director of Ewha Womans University Multicultural Research Institute, will give a lecture titled "Understanding Korean Multicultural Society," discussing discrimination consciousness in everyday language and human rights in multicultural society that deserve respect.
On the second day, Kim Tae-kwon, author of "Uncomfortable Art Museum," will lecture on "Reading Artworks from a Human Rights Perspective," covering human rights stories in paintings and viewing art from a human rights viewpoint.
Moon Seok-jin, Mayor of Seodaemun-gu, said, "I hope these lectures using everyday words and artworks will provide an easier approach to human rights and that we will continue to promote human rights culture through various projects."
The education is free, with 100 seats available per lecture on a first-come, first-served basis. Residents wishing to participate can apply through the Seodaemun-gu Human Rights Team. For details, refer to the Seodaemun-gu website announcements.
Yeongdeungpo-gu (Mayor Chae Hyun-il) is installing and operating a "visiting screening clinic" targeting traditional market merchants in the district to prevent the spread of group infections.
As COVID-19 cluster infections have recently occurred mainly in traditional markets in Seoul, the district took proactive measures out of concern for the safety of market merchants and customers.
The district installed the "visiting screening clinic" in Yeongdeungpo-dong, where traditional markets are concentrated, and plans to actively encourage preemptive testing in close cooperation with market merchant associations.
The Yeongdeungpo-dong "visiting screening clinic" is located at Jungmaru Park (14, Yeongdeungpo-ro 53-gil, Yeongdeungpo-gu) and will operate from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on October 19. Testing is free for all, regardless of symptoms, including traditional market workers.
The district aims to increase testing participation by making it easier and faster for merchants, who had difficulty getting tested due to their livelihoods, and to prevent group infections by early detection of asymptomatic cases.
Previously, the district conducted preemptive testing for workers at Daerim Central Market in September. Jungmaru Park, where the clinic is located, is within a 10-minute walk of Yeongdeungpo traditional markets and several shopping centers, expected to boost testing participation among nearby merchants and customers.
Additionally, the district continues to conduct quarantine inspections targeting traditional markets, encouraging preemptive testing, vaccination, and compliance with quarantine rules.
Special quarantine inspections were also conducted for large stores vulnerable to cluster infections. The district inspected department stores, large marts, and large distribution facilities for compliance with quarantine rules and management of visitor logs as required by the mandatory visitor log system.
Chae Hyun-il, Mayor of Yeongdeungpo-gu, said, "We ask residents, including traditional market workers, to actively participate in preemptive testing to detect hidden infections early and prevent community spread. We will prioritize residents' health and safety and do our best for proactive response and thorough quarantine to restore peaceful daily life as soon as possible."
Seongbuk-gu (Mayor Lee Seung-ro) is supporting the nurturing of young talent in the high value-added K-beauty industry, which has strong domestic and international competitiveness, by utilizing local university infrastructure.
In cooperation with Seokyeong University's College of Beauty Arts located in Seongbuk-gu, the district is promoting "Youth Beauty Employment and Startup Support Education Using Shared Economy Platforms."
The education, running from the 16th to December 4 for a total of 8 weeks and 110 hours, is a project selected by Seongbuk-gu and Seokyeong University through a 2021 Ministry of Employment and Labor regional and industry-customized job creation support program. Through this, 25 youths will complete courses not only in beauty professional skills but also in employment and startup education using Seokyeong University's shared economy platform (shared beauty salons and operating systems) and local beauty volunteer activities.
At the opening ceremony held on the 16th at Seokyeong University's Yudam Hall, Seongbuk-gu Mayor Lee Seung-ro and Seokyeong University Vice President Kim Beom-jun encouraged participating youths and exchanged opinions on activating youth employment and startups using specialized education and local infrastructure, as well as co-development with the local beauty industry.
Mayor Lee Seung-ro expressed deep gratitude for Seokyeong University's efforts to nurture beauty arts talent and said, "If linked with Seongbuk-gu's Gireum Youth Startup Street Project and the 2022 comprehensive Seokyeong University Campus Town Project for technology convergence K-Culture startup town creation, it is expected to greatly help youth job creation in beauty arts and revitalize the local economy."
Eunpyeong-gu Office (Mayor Kim Mi-kyung) will conduct "2021 Media Publicity Education" for the Media Arbitration Commission and district officials on the 19th.
The district holds media publicity education annually for its officials. This year, to promote proper media publicity methods and prevent and remedy media damage, the district prepared this education in cooperation with the Media Arbitration Commission. The education will be conducted online via the Zoom video conferencing program.
The education will be led by Ahn Baek-su, Education Team Leader of the Media Arbitration Commission. The main topics include understanding personal rights violations caused by media reports, types and cases of disputes caused by media reports, and the damage relief procedures through the Media Arbitration Commission.
Ahn Baek-su said, "The Media Arbitration Commission plays a role in resolving media disputes amicably through fair and prompt mediation and arbitration. We hope this education helps understand the damage relief procedures and reduces unnecessary media disputes."
Kim Mi-kyung, Mayor of Eunpyeong-gu, said, "I hope this will be a good opportunity for officials to respond quickly to the rapidly changing new media era and cultivate proper media publicity awareness. We will continue to conduct media publicity education to enhance Eunpyeong-gu's brand value and district development."
Songpa-gu (Mayor Park Seong-su) successfully held the "2021 Hansung Baekje Cultural Festival National Gugak Competition" at Seoul Play Yard on the 17th, where 180 gugak (traditional Korean music) teams showcased their talents.
Now in its second year following last year, the competition was held without an audience and non-face-to-face (live-streamed on YouTube) to support gugak artists whose opportunities have decreased due to COVID-19 and to explore ways to popularize traditional music in the with-COVID era.
Through a public contest, 180 gugak teams from across the country competed fiercely in the preliminary rounds and demonstrated their honed skills in the finals.
The finals were held in five categories: ▲General ▲Student (elementary, middle, high school) ▲Newcomer. Participants performed traditional arts in instrumental (piri, daegeum, haegeum, gayageum, etc.), vocal (folk songs, jeongga, pansori, gayageum byeongchang), and percussion (samulnori, pungmul, yeonhui) events.
With enthusiastic support from online viewers, Kim Mi-so in the general category and Park So-eon in the student (high school) category were selected as overall grand prize winners. The general category winner received the Seoul Mayor's Award, and the student category winner received the Songpa-gu Mayor's Award.
Additionally, 80 teams received awards including first, second, third, and participation prizes. Winners received a total prize money of 20 million KRW.
Kim Mi-so, the general category grand prize winner, said, "I am honored to receive the grand prize. Due to COVID-19, opportunities for gugak artists have decreased, so I am grateful for this chance. I will continue to work hard to show good performances."
The "2021 Hansung Baekje Cultural Festival National Gugak Competition" video can be viewed again on the "Songpa Gugak Association" YouTube channel.
Park Seong-su, Mayor of Songpa-gu, said, "It is meaningful to hold the competition in Songpa, the first capital of Baekje and the starting point of Seoul's 2,000-year history of ancient culture. We will continue to inherit the unique value and power of gugak arts and lead the nurturing of excellent gugak artists so cultural artists can fully demonstrate their abilities in Songpa."
Gangseo-gu, Seoul (Mayor Roh Hyun-song) will conduct a survey to proactively identify and support middle-aged and older single-person households in crisis.
Recently, solitary deaths have increased among middle-aged and older single-person households, necessitating surveys and support.
Accordingly, the district announced it will conduct a "Survey on Middle-aged and Older Single-person Households in Housing Vulnerable Areas" to actively identify and support those in crisis due to unemployment, illness, family relationship breakdowns, etc.
The survey targets 44,061 single-person households aged 50 or older in the district, focusing on residents living in housing vulnerable areas such as rental housing, gosiwon (small rooms), and jjokbang (tiny rooms), as well as in specific fire safety target facilities like inns, motels, and jjimjilbang (Korean sauna).
Considering the COVID-19 situation, the district will conduct both non-face-to-face and face-to-face surveys by December. First, advance notice letters will be sent by mail to single-person households in housing vulnerable areas. For specific fire safety target facilities where it is difficult to confirm residents, the district plans to deliver notices with the cooperation of building owners.
After delivering notices, the district will mainly conduct non-face-to-face surveys via phone calls, and if necessary, conduct face-to-face surveys through visits to community centers or homes.
The survey includes ▲basic information such as name, age, gender ▲housing situation ▲economic status ▲health status ▲social relationships ▲risk of solitary death ▲major problems and welfare service needs.
Based on the survey results, the district will identify households in need and provide various customized welfare services.
For households eligible for public support, tailored assistance such as applications for national basic livelihood security and emergency welfare support will be provided.
Households requiring various welfare supports will be selected as case management targets by the district and community centers for continuous management. For those needing housing environment improvement, food support, or welfare calls, services will be provided in cooperation with private resources.
The district plans to continue identifying households in crisis through cooperation with local private resources such as the Dong Hope Dream Group to eliminate welfare blind spots.
Mayor Roh Hyun-song said, "The prolonged COVID-19 crisis has increased the number of middle-aged people facing difficulties such as unemployment. We will do our best to actively identify middle-aged and older single-person households in need and ensure they receive various welfare benefits."
Seocho-gu (Mayor Cho Eun-hee) announced on the 18th that it will hold the "Seocho-gu Youth Metaverse Festival: Tam!" on the 30th to alleviate COVID blues among youth and provide a healthy exchange space in a virtual environment.
Held in cooperation with the Seocho Youth Center and Bangbae Youth Center, the festival carries the slogan "Travel Amazing Metaverse!" Youth will enter as avatars and enjoy various exchanges such as games, lectures, and performances in the virtual space.
The main event will be held on the metaverse platform Ifland, divided into three themes: "Passionate Inquiry," "Courageous Exploration," and "Desirable Talent."
The first part, "Passionate Inquiry," features special lectures by youth speakers leading their lives proactively and career-related YouTuber "Guseulju." The second part, "Courageous Exploration," is designed as an escape room game to help youth unfamiliar with virtual spaces enjoy the metaverse world. The final part, "Desirable Talent," includes youth club performances and a song festival, with on-site voting and awards conducted using the virtual space.
Before the main event, pre-events running until the 30th include maze games, jump games, and road driving activities exploring virtual Seocho Youth Center and Bangbae Youth Center on the metaverse platform Zepeto World.
Youth wishing to participate can apply for desired activities by the 25th via QR codes on the youth centers' websites or posters.
For details, contact Seocho Youth Center or Bangbae Youth Center. Mayor Cho Eun-hee said, "This metaverse youth festival provides a great opportunity for youth to interact freely without masks in a virtual space. It will be a successful model of a COVID-19 overcoming festival that revitalizes youth exhausted by the pandemic."
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