Seongdong-gu Provides 'Crisis Household Reporting Rewards' ... Discovering Welfare Blind Spots

[Seoul District News] Seongdong-gu Rewards 50,000 KRW per Report for Crisis Household Notifications Starting This Month to Actively Identify Welfare Support Recipients... Yangcheon-gu Holds ‘2050 Carbon Neutrality Vision Declaration Ceremony’... Songpa-gu Shares 3-Year Achievements of Songpa Innovation Education District with Schools, Parents, Villages, and Students on 18-19th; Songpa Mayor Park Seong-su and Seoul Education Superintendent Jo Hee-yeon Discuss Future Education Development... ‘Gangbuk-gu Kkum Namu Kiwoom Scholarship Foundation’ Opens 10th Talent Scholarship Recruitment... Gwanak-gu Hosts Halloween Maker Fair... Guro-gu ‘Gocheok-dong Correction

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Seongdong-gu (Mayor Jung Won-oh) announced that starting this month, anyone who discovers and reports a household in need of support due to welfare crisis situations will receive an Onnuri gift certificate worth 50,000 KRW per report (up to 100,000 KRW annually for the same informant).

The reporting targets include households facing livelihood difficulties due to income reduction, unemployment, temporary or permanent business closure, households frequently delinquent on utility bills or monthly rent, and other economically distressed crisis households. When such households are found, reporters can report to the local community service center of the target's residence or via the KakaoTalk channel ‘Seongdong Neighbors Care’.

Related agencies will verify the living conditions of the reported individuals through on-site checks. If the target is confirmed as a welfare recipient, welfare resources will be linked to provide necessary welfare services. If not yet receiving benefits, relevant officials will immediately assist in applying for basic livelihood security benefits and other welfare payments.

After investigation of income and assets, if the target is selected as a basic livelihood recipient, the reporter will receive the reward within 30 days from the selection date. However, bank account holders, the crisis household members themselves, and workers at child or social welfare facilities are excluded from receiving rewards.

On the 16th of last month, the “Seoul Special City Seongdong-gu Ordinance on Discovery and Support of Crisis Households” was enacted, formalizing specific measures to discover and support crisis households and strengthen public-private cooperation to eliminate welfare blind spots. The ordinance also includes provisions to reward reporters who contribute to discovering crisis households.

The scope of reporters has been greatly expanded to allow anyone, regardless of address, to report discovered crisis households, enabling the identification of more targets. Rewards are provided to actively encourage discoverers. The KakaoTalk channel ‘Seongdong Neighbors Care’ is actively utilized to make it easy for anyone to report crisis households, aiming for active neighbor reporting and participation to find welfare blind spots.

Seongdong-gu Mayor Jung Won-oh said, “Discovering crisis households in welfare blind spots is important through neighbors' interest. We will continuously strive to establish a constant discovery system with residents and ensure appropriate management and support accordingly.”

Yangcheon-gu (Mayor Kim Soo-young) held the ‘2050 Carbon Neutral Vision Declaration Ceremony’ on the afternoon of the 18th at the Yangcheon Digital Media Center with the goal of ‘YES (Young, Eco, Safety) Yangcheon! Together Admiring (Reducing Carbon)!’

The ‘2050 Carbon Neutral Declaration Ceremony’ was planned to wisely overcome the climate crisis through greenhouse gas reduction amid unprecedented frequent abnormal weather worldwide, where climate crisis response has become an essential survival strategy. The district conducted the ceremony without producing paper printed materials (posters, leaflets, etc.) to realize sincere carbon neutrality.

The ceremony was attended by members of the Energy Innovation District Council and resident representatives actively working on-site through the designation of Yangcheon-gu as an Energy Innovation District. They read the carbon neutrality vision declaration and agreed on the importance of citizen society participation and roles for carbon neutrality.

The YES Yangcheon! Together Admiring! 2050 Carbon Neutral Vision Declaration includes ▲using eco-friendly energy and practicing energy saving for carbon neutrality, ▲discovering and supporting projects for carbon neutrality, ▲promotion and education for climate change response, and ▲realizing ESG management that communicates with residents.

Yangcheon-gu is currently conducting climate change response services, setting greenhouse gas reduction targets by 2030, and plans to continuously strive to achieve carbon neutrality by zeroing carbon emissions by 2050. The district has been implementing various projects such as creating the green city Eco Yangcheon, reducing greenhouse gases in five major sectors, non-face-to-face environmental education EGG Expedition, and inclusive policies centered on parks.

Yangcheon-gu Mayor Kim Soo-young said, “Carbon neutrality is a global task that can no longer be postponed; it is our duty to ensure future generations can breathe and dream 30 years from now. Carbon neutrality starts from small actions in daily life such as using public transportation, using reusable shopping bags, and unplugging unused electrical cords, so I ask for active participation from all residents.”

Songpa-gu (Mayor Park Sung-soo) announced on the 19th that it will hold the ‘Songpa SSEM Education Expo’ under the theme ‘Zooming Songpa Education!’ and stream it live on YouTube.

This education expo marks the third year of the Songpa Innovative Education District project, providing a platform to share achievements and discuss future educational agendas. The two-day expo from the 18th to 19th will involve students, parents, teachers, and education stakeholders from public, private, and academic sectors.

To prevent the spread of COVID-19, the event will be held online using the video conferencing program ZOOM, minimizing attendees at the district office auditorium. The on-site program will be live-streamed on the ‘Songpa SSEM YouTube Channel’.

On the 18th, the opening ceremony began with congratulatory performances by students from Bangi Elementary and Aju Middle Schools, followed by communication time with participants and an online village textbook award ceremony. Then, the ‘Songpa SSEM Youth Film Festival’ awards, featuring the lively spirit of youth, the ‘RC Car Making Class Reporter’ video with Yeongpa Girls’ Middle School students, and presentations on Songpa Innovative Education District activities were held.

On the 19th, from 3 PM to 5 PM, the ‘Our Village Education Forum (Parts 1 and 2)’ will continue. The first part will share and discuss activities discovered by over 50 diverse education stakeholders including schools, parents, villages, and youth. The second part will feature Songpa-gu Mayor Park Sung-soo and Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education Superintendent Cho Hee-yeon discussing education diagnosis and future development directions.

The education expo can be viewed online by anyone without prior registration on the ‘Songpa SSEM YouTube Channel’.

Songpa-gu Mayor Park Sung-soo said, “This education expo will be an opportunity to share three years of achievements and seek solutions for future education. We will strengthen public-private-academic governance for ‘education nurtured and created by the whole village’ and reflect this in Songpa SSEM to lead education in the with-COVID era.”

Gangdong-gu (Mayor Lee Jung-hoon) successfully concluded the ‘4th Youth Online Democracy Festival’ held on the 16th.

Started nationwide in 2018 as the first of its kind, this fourth festival was held online under the slogan ‘Welcome, Let’s Go Together!’ to convey a message of hope for youth facing many restrictions due to prolonged COVID-19.

To allow youth to fully experience democracy, the event included promotion of the 6th Youth Council, various youth performances, and experiential programs online. At Gangdong-gu Office’s Open Yard, illustrations by children’s author Jeon Yi-soo, the Declaration of the Rights of the Child, and candidate pledges for the 6th Youth Council were exhibited.

Starting at 1 PM on the 16th with a youth dance club congratulatory performance, the program included magic shows, Youth Council achievement presentations, acrostic poem contests, youth talk concerts, and quiz shows, all live-streamed on Gangdong-gu Office YouTube.

Additionally, career experiences such as ‘DIY Card Wallet’ and ‘My Own Human Rights Sensory Lamp’ with Youth Angel Workshop, and real-time prize events added fun to the online festival. The finale featured a performance by high school rapper Lee Young-ji and a large mask fire art performance.

The festival also promoted participation in the ‘6th Youth Council Member Election’ conducted via Seoul City M-Voting until the 22nd. Candidate pledge videos were streamed live. Youth aged 9 to 18 residing or studying in the area can vote. Among 32 candidates, 25 will be elected, with results announced on the 25th.

Gangdong-gu Mayor Lee Jung-hoon said, “We held an online festival where youth can freely express their talents and enjoy. Though regrettable, I hope they experience greater democracy. We will continue to actively support youth activities and policies to make Gangdong a place where children and youth can dream and grow freely.”

Kim Mi-kyung, Mayor of Eunpyeong-gu, visited the youth startup store Eunpyeong Dakgomtang on the 15th to celebrate its successful independence through the youth startup support project ‘Seedling Store’.

The visited youth store is a model case achieved through stable startup foundation creation and continuous communication with the store amid the difficult situation of store startups due to prolonged COVID-19, explained an Eunpyeong-gu official.

Since 2017, Eunpyeong-gu has promoted the youth startup support project ‘Seedling Store’ to encourage youth entrepreneurship, create youth jobs, and revitalize the local economy, currently supporting 13 stores.

‘Seedling Store’ selects young merchants with unique startup ideas through public recruitment and supports deposit, partial rent, interior, startup education, and consulting. Support is provided on a basic one-year basis and can be extended up to four years after evaluation by an expert committee. This year, to help Seedling Stores struggling due to COVID-19, participation in the Handcraft Craft Fair held in August was supported.

The youth store Eunpyeong Dakgomtang, which succeeded in independent startup, was selected in the December 2018 recruitment and received startup support including rent and mentoring for about 2 years and 10 months until September this year.

Along with exceptional effort and sincerity recognized for food taste and service, monthly sales in September this year increased more than eightfold compared to the start of the project, and the store ranked high in orders on popular delivery applications, achieving remarkable growth. Although the maximum support period of four years was not reached, the store decided to open independently to expand the business.

Choi Soo-mi, representative of Eunpyeong Dakgomtang, said, “Although initial costs for startup were insufficient, I was able to challenge entrepreneurship through Eunpyeong-gu’s support. Also, I could reduce risks from trial and error during operation, and based on this experience, I was able to become independent,” expressing gratitude.

Kim Mi-kyung, Mayor of Eunpyeong-gu, said, “The success of this youth startup support project is a very important model case for future youth startup support projects. Congratulations on your independence and wish you continued success. We will actively support youth startup success through continuous communication with youth stores.”

Nowon-gu (Mayor Oh Seung-rok) announced that it will hold the ‘2021 Nowon-gu Job Fair’ and ‘Startup & Employment Economy Festival’ over two days on October 21 and 22.

The ‘Job Fair,’ held from 11 AM to 5 PM on the 21st and 22nd at Deungnamu Culture Park in Junggye-dong, is a meeting place for job seekers and employers. It aims to provide employment opportunities to job seekers seeking quality jobs and recruitment opportunities to companies lacking manpower.

The job fair will operate a total of 68 booths, including 33 recruitment booths, 14 related organizations, 16 flea market booths, and 5 side events. This year, 37 companies including excellent SMEs will participate, planning to hire over 200 people.

At the 33 recruitment booths, one-on-one interviews between employers and job seekers will be conducted. Customized recruitment interviews will be held by age and job type, including youth, middle-aged, and seniors.

Fourteen local job-related organizations such as Nowon Senior Happiness Corporation and Nowon Job Counseling Center will also participate to assist job seekers with employment registration and placement.

Various side events will be held, notably AI interviewers and VR interview events allowing participants to experience real interview processes. Five booths will operate, including aptitude tests using fingerprints, career exploration and aptitude tests using cards (Prediger), and interview photo booths.

Job applications can be submitted by October 20 through the Nowon-gu website, visiting the Job and Economy Division, or by phone. On-site registration is also possible on the day of the fair if prior application was missed.

Post-event management will be provided to job seekers who participated. Two weeks after the event, a telephone survey will check employment status, and employment retention will be confirmed after three months. For unemployed individuals, reasons for rejection will be analyzed and re-matching with similar job companies will be supported.

The ‘Startup & Local Economy Festival’ will be held simultaneously at Junggye Neighborhood Park across from the job fair venue, with 80 booths operated. The startup section will showcase innovative products from university startup incubation centers and clubs, while the local economy section will sell and exhibit products and services from excellent local SMEs.

To prevent COVID-19 spread, the district plans to strictly follow quarantine rules including limiting participants relative to facility size, operating a reservation system, pre-event PCR testing for booth staff, and on-site disinfection.

Nowon-gu Mayor Oh Seung-rok said, “We have prepared extensively to create opportunities for local excellent companies and talents to meet and coexist. I hope this event revitalizes the local economy, which has been depressed due to COVID-19.”

Dongjak-gu (Mayor Lee Chang-woo) will hold the ‘2021 Employment & Startup Information Fair’ online on November 9 for job seekers, employers, small business owners, and prospective entrepreneurs facing difficulties due to COVID-19.

The fair provides not only direct employment connections between job seekers and employers but also one-on-one management and startup consulting special lectures for small business owners and prospective entrepreneurs experiencing management crises.

The fair will be held from 11 AM on the day on Dongjak-gu or Dongjak Women’s Human Resources Development Center YouTube channels. However, job seekers with difficulty accessing online can participate on-site only if they are vaccinated and have a negative COVID-19 test result within 3 days before the event.

About 30 companies from various industries including food service, distribution, IT, and manufacturing will participate to recruit employees.

Main events for job seekers include ▲online employment special lectures ▲information on hiring companies ▲career counseling ▲online recruitment interviews. For entrepreneurs and prospective entrepreneurs, ▲online startup special lectures ▲startup consulting ▲management consulting to overcome small business difficulties will be provided. An information exhibition booth for employment information utilization will also be set up.

The employment special lecture for job seekers will be conducted by Ahn Sang-young, CEO of AHNCOMM, on ‘Effective Employment Methods in the With-COVID Era.’

The startup special lecture for prospective entrepreneurs will be conducted by Lee Kyung-hee, Director of the Korea Startup Strategy Institute, on ‘Startup Strategies and Success Cases in the With-COVID Era.’

Online recruitment interviews require prior resume submission and may lead to employment on the day. The district plans to conduct post-matching and additional interviews for unmatched job seekers and employers.

Those wishing to participate should inquire and apply by November 3 at the Dongjak-gu Job Plus Center or Dongjak Women’s Human Resources Development Center.

Jeon Hye-young, Director of the Employment Policy Division, said, “I hope this fair becomes a place to share information and help many participants and companies succeed in employment during these difficult times due to COVID-19. We will continue to strive to make Dongjak-gu a place where everyone has a job.”

Gwanak-gu (Mayor Park Joon-hee) secured 4.48 billion KRW in national funds after being selected for the ‘Gocheok 1-dong Complex Building Project’ in the government’s Living SOC Complex Project competition.

Gwanak-gu (Mayor Lee Sung) announced on the 19th that selection in next year’s SOC complex project competition will accelerate the development of a cultural, residential, administrative, and commercial integrated complex on the site of the former Southern Correctional Facility in Gocheok-dong.

Living SOC complex projects combine two or more facilities such as culture, medical, welfare, parks, and transportation on a single site to enhance public convenience.

The site is the former Yeongdeungpo Prison area at 100 Gocheok-dong, located in a residential area where residents have continuously demanded relocation. After overcoming many difficulties, the correctional facility was moved to Cheonwang-dong in 2011, and development began in earnest.

With this selection, a complex building with two underground and eight above-ground floors, a park, and underground parking will be constructed at 102-1 Gocheok 1-dong. Construction will start in January 2023 and complete in 2024.

The complex building will house the community service center, autonomous community hall, health living support center, living culture center, small library, care center, and Guro Facilities Management Corporation.

A 3,458㎡ linear park, a resting space for residents in the city, will be created near the complex building. A parking lot with 120 spaces will be built underground.

Additionally, a complex district of 105,087㎡ will be developed around the complex building, including public-supported private rental housing and the Guro Tax Office.

The public-supported private rental housing, started in December 2018, is scheduled for completion in August next year. At 100-7 Gocheok-dong, six buildings of 45 floors will be built, and at 102-1, five buildings of 35 floors, totaling 2,205 households.

Geumcheon-gu (Mayor Yoo Sung-hoon) has created a universal design space in G-Valley 2 and 3 complexes, the nation’s first industrial complexes, where anyone can walk safely and rest comfortably.

Universal design refers to design considering all users regardless of gender, age, physical condition, or cultural background.

G-Valley is Korea’s first industrial complex and the only national industrial complex in Seoul. Geumcheon-gu’s 2 and 3 complexes are leading areas for future industries such as IT and information industries and a global business hub. However, pedestrian spaces were aging, and there was a lack of resting spaces, causing inconvenience to residents.

Geumcheon-gu secured 3 billion KRW in city funds through Seoul’s ‘Public Space Universal Design Application Project’ competition and from 2019 to October this year, gradually created public streets, open spaces, and public information signs applying universal design.

Near Exit 7 of Gasan Digital Complex Station, the busiest area in G-Valley, the transfer section from subway to bus stop was improved by removing floor level differences and installing canopies in some sections to enhance pedestrian convenience.

A previously used open space for smokers among nearby office workers was transformed into a pleasant resting area with benches and trees, accessible to residents of various groups.

Also, analyzing G-Valley’s diverse content and urban structure, 166 public information signs were developed and installed. Now, visitors can use these signs to get directions, building information, weather, and major local community information.

Geumcheon-gu Mayor Yoo Sung-hoon said, “Applying universal design that considers the needs and sensibilities of diverse people in G-Valley has realized people-centered spatial value. We will continue efforts to make G-Valley a pleasant and respected place shared by workers and residents.”

Seocho-gu (Mayor Cho Eun-hee) announced that it will recruit applicants for the second half of the ‘Seocho-gu Unemployed Youth Employment Incentive’ for youth whose employment situation has worsened due to prolonged COVID-19, until 6 PM on November 19 for five weeks.

This recruitment is part of the ‘City-District Cooperation Livelihood Measures’ project, continuing the same program as the first half implemented in May. Basic eligibility, content, and methods remain the same, and applications are accepted only online via the Seoul Youth Portal.

The employment incentive will be paid in ‘Seocho Love Gift Certificates’ as in the first half, sent to the selected applicant’s mobile device under their name. The gift certificates are valid until December 31 and can only be used at Zero Pay affiliated stores in Seocho-gu.

The target includes unemployed youth who missed the first half application period or were disqualified due to unmet requirements in the first half. Detailed information is available in the Seocho-gu announcement on the Seoul Youth Portal.

Required documents include ▲resident registration abstract ▲employment insurance qualification history ▲final academic graduation certificate (or completion certificate). Short-term contract workers must also submit employment contracts. Military service deduction applicants must submit military service certificates.

The district will review applications in order of receipt, verify exclusion criteria, and announce selected applicants sequentially. Selected applicants will receive 500,000 KRW employment incentives. The incentive can only be received once; those who received it in the first half or from other districts this year are excluded.

Seocho-gu Mayor Cho Eun-hee said, “With part-time jobs hard to find due to prolonged COVID-19, this second half employment incentive will be a great help to youth. We will continue to prepare practical support measures so youth can actively enter society amid worsening employment difficulties.”

Gangnam-gu (Mayor Jung Soon-kyun) is recruiting 40 elementary and middle school students in the district to participate in the ‘2021 Our Village Understanding Metaverse Competition’ until the 29th.

Metaverse is a compound word of Meta (meaning virtual) and Universe (meaning real world), a space mixing reality and virtual worlds.

The district planned this competition to provide youth with opportunities to develop and operate metaverse cultural content capabilities and to enhance understanding of their village.

Among applicants, those who wish will receive online metaverse professional education and mentoring from October 30 to November 2. After completing the education, participants will create and submit ‘Gangnam in the Metaverse’ centered on Gangnam-gu landmarks. Awards include the mayor’s commendation and prizes up to 300,000 KRW.

Joo Myung-ae, Director of the Education Support Division, said, “As the third year of the Gangnam Innovative Education District, Gangnam-gu will continue to support various youth activities and strive to nurture creative talents.”

Elementary and middle school students in the district wishing to participate can apply via Naver Form. More details are available on the district website.

Seongbuk-gu (Mayor Lee Seung-ro) held the 2022 Seongbuk-gu Children and Youth General Assembly on the 16th at the Seongbuk-gu Office Multipurpose Hall.

The assembly, held both online and offline, selected projects to be included in the 100 million KRW scale children and youth participatory budget to ensure that policy agendas discovered by Seongbuk youth with interest in local social issues are practically reflected in district administration.

Before the assembly, Seongbuk-gu installed voting panels at youth facilities including Seongbuk Youth Culture House, Jangwi Youth Culture Nuri Center, and Seongbuk Youth Playground to collect opinions from youth. Additionally, a two-week online vote was conducted to guarantee participation rights for youth not visiting facilities to select projects for next year’s youth budget.

At the assembly, youth who proposed eight candidate projects directly attended to explain their proposals. About 70 youth from Seongbuk Youth Culture House, Youth Support Center Dream, and various youth playgrounds participated online, engaging in one-on-one Q&A about the projects.

Seongbuk-gu Council Administrative Planning Committee Chairperson Jeong Hae-sook also participated online, listening to youth opinions and encouraging them, saying, “Seongbuk-gu will continue to be a place where youth are owners and their opinions are heard. I expect active participation of Seongbuk youth to ensure these projects proceed well.”

The final result combined pre-voting and on-site voting at a 4:6 ratio, confirming six projects including the Seongbuk Youth Media Experience Center project for next year’s youth participatory budget. Seongbuk-gu Council Chairperson Kim Il-young, attending the event, praised the youth for their excellent policy proposals and pledged support for project implementation.

The six projects confirmed through the 2022 Seongbuk Children and Youth General Assembly will be reflected in the 2022 Seongbuk-gu main budget and will be actively promoted throughout next year after further policy detailing.

Seodaemun-gu (Mayor Moon Seok-jin) will hold a screening of the original musical ‘Counting the Stars at Night’ on November 3 at 5 PM at the Seodaemun Cultural and Sports Center Grand Theater.

This musical depicts a young person from the present traveling back in time to meet Yun Dong-ju, Yu Gwan-sun, and Lee Han-yeol, realizing the gratitude of history and the preciousness of the present.

As part of the ‘2021 Seodaemun Cultural Heritage Night’ program, the musical was released on YouTube last month on the 10th and received great response.

Although not a live performance, the pre-recorded musical will be screened on a large screen, offering a different emotional experience than watching on a smartphone or TV.

After the screening, a ‘History Talk Show’ with Shim Yong-hwan, Director of the History N Education Research Institute, focusing on musical characters will be held.

Applications can be made by 3 PM on the 28th via the Seodaemun Cultural Heritage Night website (Reservation → Program Registration), with viewing capacity determined by lottery according to quarantine levels.

Seodaemun-gu Mayor Moon Seok-jin said, “I look forward to many participating in this event that emotionally conveys historical stories through musical video and talk concert.”

The 2021 Seodaemun Cultural Heritage Night, which began with the ‘Untact Night Walk for Independence and Sovereignty’ on Liberation Day, will conclude with this screening.

Throughout the year, many programs such as ‘One Star Cultural Heritage,’ ‘Counting Stars Together,’ online workshop experiences, and photo night walks were held non-face-to-face, providing safe and interesting cultural experiences for citizens.

Gangdong-gu (Mayor Lee Jung-hoon) announced that it will hold an exhibition for the ‘Cheonho-dong 423 Red-Light District’ documentation project at the Gangdong-gu Book Cafe Library Dadokdadok Gucheonmyeon-ro Branch until the 21st.

The exhibition is organized by Sonya House, a women’s human rights counseling center in Gangdong-gu, supported by the Korea Women’s Foundation, and held with participation from citizen recorders who have lived in Cheonho-dong for a long time, invited artists, and young artists.

Sonya House has supported women victims of prostitution near the red-light district in Cheonho-dong since 1993. It helps women exploited in prostitution not only in the red-light district but also in entertainment establishments to become independent. The Cheonho-dong 423 area, known as ‘Cheonho-dong Texas,’ existed for about 60 years but most red-light districts were closed in 2019 and completely closed by 2020, so none remain now.

This exhibition captures the lives of women trapped in prostitution structures in confined spaces over a long time and aims to record and remember the space as part of our history, reflecting on the painful history of many women.

Hong Sung-sil, Director of Sonya House, said, “While red-light districts should be closed, the history of women who lived there must be recorded. I hope many people will resolve through this exhibition that prostitution must be eradicated.”

Gangdong-gu Mayor Lee Jung-hoon, who visited the exhibition, said, “This meaningful exhibition remembers a place that existed in our society but no one wanted to remember. I believe this will help us create a better future by not forgetting this space.”

Seoul Gangseo-gu (Mayor Noh Hyun-song) announced that it will hold a ‘Children’s Rights Drawing Contest’ and a ‘Children’s Rights Rap Competition’ in November to mark Children’s Rights Week.

The events aim to improve awareness of children’s rights and spread a culture that respects children’s rights.

Children under 18 years old can participate regardless of their region to express their voices as rights holders.

The ‘Children’s Rights Drawing Contest’ will be held under three themes: ▲Children’s rights as I think ▲My favorite or desired play ▲The image of a safe city for children as I think.

Entries will be divided into four categories: infants and toddlers, lower elementary, upper elementary, and middle/high school. Participants should draw a picture related to the theme on an 8-cut drawing paper and submit it with an application form.

The ‘Children’s Rights Rap Competition’ will be held on the theme of children’s rights as participants think or want to express. Participants should submit a self-composed rap video, lyrics, and application form. The district provides beats, but original compositions can be used. Videos must be recorded horizontally and be within 3 minutes.

Entries and applications for both contests must be submitted by 6 PM on November 3 to the Gangseo-gu Children and Youth Division by visit or mail (rap competition entries can be emailed).

Details and application forms are available on the Gangseo Children’s District Office website under Free Board → Notices.

A judging committee will select winners: for the drawing contest, one grand prize, two excellence awards, three encouragement awards, and five honorable mentions per category; for the rap competition, one grand prize, two excellence awards, three encouragement awards, and ten honorable mentions.

Winners will receive certificates from the Gangseo-gu Mayor and book and cultural gift certificates worth 200,000 KRW for grand prize, 100,000 KRW for excellence, and 50,000 KRW for encouragement awards.

Results will be announced on November 12 on the Gangseo Children’s District Office website.

Winning works will be exhibited during Children’s Rights Week from November 15 to 21 and actively used as promotional materials to raise awareness of children’s rights.

Gangseo-gu Mayor Noh Hyun-song said, “I hope this event spreads a culture where children can confidently express their rights as rights holders. We will continue to do our best to make Gangseo a good place for children from their perspective.”

Dobong-gu (Mayor Lee Dong-jin) Ssangmun 3-dong Volunteer Camp (Camp Leader Kim Nam-hye) delivered freshly made kimchi from cabbages grown and harvested in their sharing garden to about 30 vulnerable households including elderly living alone on the 14th.

This sharing was selected as a ‘2021 Dobong-gu Volunteer Camp Special Project’ by Dobong-gu Office and received budget support. Daesung Church (Senior Pastor Jung Choong-gil), a private welfare base in Ssangmun 3-dong, provided the venue, and camp volunteers and Ssangmun 3-dong community leaders donated their talents. The ‘Whole Village’ project was a meaningful event with many participants contributing.

The sharing garden (138-137 Ssangmun 3-dong) is a small space about one acre located among residential areas. Until this spring, it was a neglected area with illegal dumping. Volunteers cleaned up overgrown trees and illegally dumped trash with cooperation from the Ssangmun 3-dong Community Service Center, planted flower seedlings to create a clean environment, and planted cabbage seedlings from summer to prepare for this sharing.

The Ssangmun 3-dong Volunteer Camp is an organization conducting community service activities such as local campaigns, environmental cleanup, and donations for vulnerable groups. Despite COVID-19, they have continued warm-hearted support such as sharing samgyetang in June and songpyeon in September.

Camp Leader Kim Nam-hye said, “I felt truly rewarded to share the harvest from the garden we cultivated with elderly neighbors living alone. With COVID-19 and the coming cold wave, I hope this helps neighbors worried about side dishes.”

Ssangmun 3-dong Community Service Center Director Kim Sun-joo said, “Cleaning a neglected place, planting cabbage, making kimchi, and delivering it to neighbors is a process of building a community. We will continue to strive to make the community center a communication channel for local volunteerism and welfare.”