[Seoul District News] On the 30th, 'Carbon Neutral City! Songpa's Green Future' held at Lotte World Tower SKY31 · Communication and sharing on carbon neutrality policies with residents and experts... Seodaemun-gu expands dedicated public officials for COVID-19 home treatment... Dobong-gu marks 73rd World Human Rights Declaration with Human Rights Week from Dec 1-10 themed 'Dobong's Human Rights, Drawing a Greater Tomorrow'... Gwangjin-gu runs Youth Entrepreneur Capacity Building Academy... Yeongdeungpo-gu drafts 784.8 billion won budget for next year, up 10.8% YoY.
[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Songpa-gu (Mayor Park Seong-su) will hold a policy talk concert titled ‘Carbon Neutral City! Songpa’s Green Future’ at 3 p.m. on November 30 at the Lotte World Tower SKY31 Auditorium.
Songpa-gu has been accelerating efforts to realize a carbon-neutral city, attending the ‘National Climate Crisis Emergency Declaration Ceremony’ in June last year and joining the ‘Carbon Neutral Local Government Practice Alliance’ in July. Notably, in September last year, it became the first autonomous district in Seoul to establish the ‘Songpa-type Green New Deal Carbon Neutral City Plan,’ aiming to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Songpa-gu by 50% by 2030. The plan promotes 40 detailed projects across six major sectors including buildings, transportation, and waste.
Through the policy talk concert, the district aims to lead voluntary climate action by social actors such as residents, businesses, and schools, and to build consensus on carbon neutrality within the local community.
At the event, Mayor Park Seong-su will share various carbon-neutral projects and achievements under the theme ‘Story of Songpa-gu’s Carbon Neutral Policy’ and reveal future plans.
Additionally, Professor Jeon Ui-chan, Chair of the Climate Change Subcommittee of the National Carbon Neutral Committee; Professor Kim Jeong-in, Chair of the Economic and Industrial Subcommittee; and Dr. Lee Yoo-jin from the Climate Change Subcommittee will participate to present sustainable and successful carbon-neutral alternatives.
Furthermore, excellent cases of practice will be introduced, including Jamsil Trizium Apartment Complex, which won the Seoul Environmental Award for energy saving, and Baemyeong High School, which practices carbon neutrality with youth. A free discussion session will also be held to discuss the future direction of carbon neutrality.
The event will be broadcast live on the Songpa TV YouTube channel and can also be attended online via Zoom and the metaverse platform ifland. Especially in the metaverse, it is expected that the MZ generation will communicate using avatars in virtual space, making carbon neutrality more accessible and enjoyable.
Mayor Park Seong-su of Songpa-gu said, “For sustainable carbon neutrality, we will unite the public, private, industry, and academia sectors and reflect diverse opinions from residents and experts. We will actively discover specialized projects such as enacting the first carbon neutrality ordinance among autonomous districts and establishing a carbon neutrality committee to establish Songpa as a leading carbon-neutral city.”
Seodaemun-gu (Mayor Moon Seok-jin) will expand the operation of dedicated public officials to strengthen management of COVID-19 home treatment patients.
In response to the increase in COVID-19 confirmed cases, the district will expand the number of dedicated public officials for home treatment patients from 10 existing district office employees to 40 employees from local community service centers, who are more closely connected to the community.
For more efficient management and rapid response, these officials will be assigned to manage home treatment patients residing in their respective neighborhoods.
Previously, since November 8, the district has operated the ‘COVID-19 Home Treatment Dedicated Team’ composed of an ‘Operation General Team’ and a ‘24-hour Dedicated Team.’
Dedicated public officials monitor the self-quarantine status of home treatment patients and their cohabiting family members 24/7 through the Self-Quarantine Safety Protection App and support their health management by linking with cooperating hospitals.
If a home treatment patient leaves their residence, the officials will verify the site with the police and plan to report the violator without leniency after transportation.
Mayor Moon Seok-jin of Seodaemun-gu said, “With the recent increase in confirmed cases and home treatment patients, we will do our best to provide systematic and thorough management of home treatment for the safety and health of citizens.”
Dobong-gu (Mayor Lee Dong-jin) will hold Dobong Human Rights Week from December 1 to December 10 under the theme ‘Dobong’s Human Rights, Drawing a Greater Tomorrow’ to commemorate the 73rd anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (December 10, 1948), hosting various human rights week events.
The ‘Human Rights Week Commemoration Ceremony’ will be held on December 10 at 2 p.m. at the Seoninbong Hall in the district office, featuring ▲commemorative performances ▲screening and awards ceremony for the Human Rights Drawing Contest winners ▲human rights quiz ▲screening of the human rights week commemorative video ▲reading of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
The event can be viewed on Dobong-gu’s YouTube channel ‘Dobongbong TV,’ and participants can join programs such as the human rights quiz via real-time chat (text). Winners will receive small prizes.
Especially, through the screening of the human rights week commemorative video ‘Human Rights City Dobong: Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow,’ the district will review the past, present, and future of Dobong as a human rights city created with residents and share the direction and vision for Dobong’s human rights.
Also, a video titled ‘Reading the Universal Declaration of Human Rights with Residents,’ which compiles self-recorded readings of the 30 articles of the Universal Declaration by human rights stakeholders and residents into one video, will be screened to reflect on the meaning of the declaration and share the value of human rights.
Meanwhile, the exhibition and awards ceremony for the 4th Human Rights Drawing Contest held in October will also be held. The exhibition runs from December 1 to December 10 in the district office lobby, displaying 60 works from Gold Prize to Encouragement Prize excluding honorable mentions. All 120 works including honorable mentions can be viewed in the online exhibition on ‘Dobongbong TV.’
For COVID-19 prevention, only representatives of Gold and Silver Prize winners will receive certificates on-site during the awards ceremony.
Mayor Lee Dong-jin of Dobong-gu said, “Recently, with COVID-19 overlapping, we have witnessed human rights violations and oppression domestically and internationally. As the chair city of the Korea Human Rights City Council, Dobong-gu strives to lead human rights advancement. Through this event, we aim to review our local human rights policies and explore the future direction of Dobong-gu’s human rights policies. We hope many residents will attend to share and empathize with the value of human rights.”
Gwangjin-gu (Mayor Kim Seon-gap) is conducting an education program to strengthen the capabilities of young entrepreneurs to support youth startups, which have been stagnant due to COVID-19, and provide practical help in entrepreneurship.
Youth have fresh ideas and passion, but without basic knowledge of entrepreneurship or financial support, it is difficult to realize their dreams.
Accordingly, the district is promoting the ‘Youth Start Project’ to support network building among young entrepreneurs and provide housing and financial education. The current young entrepreneur capability enhancement academy is part of this project.
The program targets 30 young prospective entrepreneurs aged 19 to 39 or early-stage entrepreneurs within three years. It includes special lectures by experts in various fields and practical training focusing on business growth know-how and fundraising methods essential for startups.
The curriculum includes ▲inviting young entrepreneur CEOs ▲business plan writing and government support project strategies ▲business idea refinement and fundraising know-how ▲basic legal education for startups ▲talk concerts with senior entrepreneurs, allowing participants to learn the latest trends in startup strategies.
The education runs from November 26 to December 10 over six sessions; sessions 1 to 5 are online, and the 6th session is in-person at the Gwangjin Youth Center Gwangjin Orang.
Mayor Kim Seon-gap of Gwangjin-gu said, “We hope this education will provide practical help for the successful startups of local prospective young entrepreneurs. We will continue to support creating an environment conducive to young entrepreneurs’ management.”
Currently, the district is making multifaceted efforts to support youth startups, including operating public rental housing ‘Dojeonsuk’ for residence and self-reliance, recommending special guarantees to ease startup capital burdens, and producing promotional videos for young entrepreneurs.
Mapo-gu (Mayor Yoo Dong-gyun) announced on the 29th that it won the grand prize in the local government category at the ‘6th Korea Local Autonomy Policy Awards’ with its representative housing welfare policy ‘MH Mapo Housing.’
With this, the district has achieved the remarkable feat of winning awards for four consecutive years, starting with the grand prize for ‘Mapo 1st Street,’ a two-way communication platform with residents in 2018, followed by the excellence awards in 2019 (Lifelong Learning City Creation) and 2020 (Anything Consultation Desk).
Now in its 6th year, the Policy Awards were established to discover and award exemplary innovative policies and cases improving residents’ lives in metropolitan and basic local governments and local councils, sharing excellent policies. It is sponsored by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, the Council of Governors, and the Association of City and County Mayors. The judging focused on policy planning intent, creativity, performance, and effect. On the 16th, judges selected the final winners through an online non-face-to-face review.
The selected grand prize winner, ‘MH Mapo Housing,’ is a core pledge project of Mapo-gu’s 7th mayoral term. It is a housing welfare policy supporting temporary residences and public rental housing for residents who have lost their homes due to disasters, forced evictions, and other crises. The public rental housing project was highly evaluated as an innovative and heartfelt policy in a field that basic local governments had not attempted before.
Temporary residences can be used for up to one year, and purchased rental housing for up to six years. Currently, the district operates a total of 38 MH Mapo Housing units, including 30 temporary residences secured through agreements with Korea Land & Housing Corporation (LH) and Seoul Housing & Communities Corporation (SH), and 8 units purchased by the district itself.
So far, 65 households have lived or are living in MH Mapo Housing, effectively serving as a residential safety net for residents. The district plans to gradually expand the policy support targets.
Including additional constructions such as the MH Mapo Housing in Yeonnam-dong scheduled for completion in 2023, a total of 135 units have been secured so far, with a goal to operate 150 units within 3 to 5 years.
Also, following Mayor Yoo’s philosophy that housing welfare systems should ultimately provide customized support according to life cycles, the district plans to further subdivide and develop MH Mapo Housing. Accordingly, it is steadily securing customized housing facilities such as youth housing, newlywed housing, care-safe housing, and housing for national veterans tailored to residents’ life cycles.
Mayor Yoo Dong-gyun of Mapo-gu said, “MH Mapo Housing, which started from the idea that no one in Mapo should be forced onto the streets due to financial reasons, has been recognized for its creativity and effectiveness and has become a representative welfare brand of Mapo. We will do our best to tighten the welfare safety net for a Mapo where everyone lives well together.”
Yeongdeungpo-gu (Mayor Chae Hyun-il) announced that it has prepared the 2022 revenue and expenditure budget at 784.8 billion KRW and submitted it to the district council.
This is an increase of 76.8 billion KRW (10.8%) compared to the previous year, focusing on realizing the second Yeongdeungpo Renaissance and creating a livable city leading the post-COVID-19 era.
First, the district will invest intensively in improving the educational environment where anyone can grow into a global leader, activating lifelong learning, and expanding cultural infrastructure to create a high-quality cultural city enjoyed in daily life.
To this end, the district allocated ▲5.5 billion KRW for school environment improvement projects and the construction of an innovative education building ▲2 billion KRW for expanding lifelong learning spaces such as the YDP Lifelong Learning Center and lifelong learning rights operation ▲7.9 billion KRW for expanding unique cultural spaces including the construction of the Singil Complex Culture and Sports Library and operation of public cultural welfare spaces like Times Square, aiming to enhance the status as a cultural city.
Additionally, 700 million KRW will be invested in regional specialized projects centered on Yeouido, such as international finance and medical tourism hubs, to strengthen global city capabilities.
To help residents exhausted by the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic feel rest and leisure in daily life, the district will also focus on realizing a healthy healing city. It allocated ▲3 billion KRW for improving nearby sports facilities ▲2.1 billion KRW for urban forest creation and projects to make Anyangcheon and Dorimcheon into attractions, contributing to expanding leisure and eco-friendly green spaces and improving residents’ quality of life.
Furthermore, ▲500 million KRW for creating a pleasant non-smoking environment ▲21.8 billion KRW for basic safety budgets such as road and sidewalk maintenance were allocated. Especially, the district increased the safety budget by 31% compared to the previous year to resolve residents’ inconveniences and ensure a safe and livable city.
The district also leads the creation of a society where no resident is left behind and everyone grows together. Accordingly, it allocated ▲18.8 billion KRW for discovering customized jobs for vulnerable groups such as the elderly and disabled ▲39.8 billion KRW for creating a happy parenting environment with new programs like the First Meeting Voucher and infant allowance ▲1.2 billion KRW for youth employment and startup support projects such as the Youth Dream Narae Job Project and 4th Industrial Revolution expert training courses, expanding demand-centered customized welfare services.
Along with this, based on a more solid social safety net, the district plans to establish a welfare system without blind spots and lay the foundation for recovery of local commercial districts in the post-COVID-19 era. It allocated ▲62 billion KRW, a 20% increase from the previous year, for livelihood and housing benefits for vulnerable groups ▲4.4 billion KRW for issuing 50 billion KRW worth of Yeongdeungpo local love gift certificates and supporting small business management stabilization projects to revitalize small businesses and neighborhood markets.
Meanwhile, to firmly support the livelihood economy, 8.7 billion KRW was allocated for operating COVID-19 screening clinics and vaccination to support stable daily recovery.
The 2022 budget proposal will be finalized after review by the Yeongdeungpo District Council from December 2 to 20 for 19 days and approval at the plenary session on December 21.
Mayor Chae Hyun-il of Yeongdeungpo-gu said, “The 2022 budget focuses on regaining daily life from COVID-19 and laying the foundation for Yeongdeungpo’s greater leap and growth. Through various projects that practically improve residents’ quality of life, we will realize an open Yeongdeungpo where everyone lives well together.”
Yongsan-gu (Mayor Seong Jang-hyun) will operate a part-time job program for university students during the winter vacation.
This is to provide university students with opportunities to experience district administration work and social life.
The part-time job period is from January 3 to 28 next year, working weekdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The daily wage is set at 53,830 KRW (including lunch expenses).
Forty students will be selected, divided into ▲priority selection (4 students including Vietnamese international students from Quy Nhon at Sookmyung Women’s University) ▲special selection (13 students including recipients of national basic livelihood security, lower-income groups, children of national veterans, multicultural families, and families with three or more children) ▲general selection (23 students).
The application period is from November 9 to December 6. Any university student registered as a resident in Yongsan-gu as of the announcement date (November 23), enrolled or on leave at a domestic university, can participate. Graduates and graduate students are excluded.
Students wishing to participate can apply through the ‘Resident Opinions/Participation’ section on the district website.
The district will conduct a public random computerized draw on December 8 and announce the results on December 9 (individual text notification). Selected students will work as administrative support personnel at the district office, health center, and community service centers, assisting with data organization, civil service guidance, and data entry.
Mayor Seong Jang-hyun of Yongsan-gu said, “This will be a good opportunity for young people struggling with COVID-19 to reduce tuition burdens and gain social experience. We encourage many university students interested in administrative work and public service to participate.”
Gangnam-gu (Mayor Jung Soon-gyun) signed a business agreement with the Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA) on the 26th to discover and support promising startups in the immersive content field.
According to the agreement, the district will operate the 4th and 5th floors (total area 557㎡) of the ‘Gangnam Employment and Startup Hub Center,’ opening in March next year, as a focused nurturing space for immersive content.
Twenty startups selected by KOCCA in the 4th industrial and advanced convergence content fields, including 10 one-person companies, will move in. KOCCA will establish studios for content production such as video shooting in the basement floors 1 and 2 of the center.
Additionally, the two organizations will support startup capacity-building programs, IR mentoring for early-stage startups, and promotional opportunities for excellent products of resident companies.
The district has been focusing on creating a growth base for startups in the region, having established a 53 billion KRW startup fund in September and signed business agreements last month with KAIST Startup Institute and KAIST Youth Startup Investment Holdings.
Mayor Jung Soon-gyun of Gangnam-gu said, “Gangnam is the mecca of startups in Korea with the three elements of entrepreneurship?ideas, capital, and talent?well established, and a smart city that proactively applies innovative technologies to district administration. We will continue to provide generous support policies so that the phrase ‘Going to Gangnam for startups in immersive content’ becomes common.”
Nowon-gu (Mayor Oh Seung-rok) completed the installation of an eco-friendly road heating system in mid-November on some steep slopes and sharp curve sections in Wolgye-dong.
Until now, roads in steep or sharp curve sections posed a high risk of traffic accidents even with small amounts of residual snow, and it was difficult for snow removal personnel and equipment to respond quickly.
The pilot operation of the road heating system covers a total 240m section including the ecological tunnel at Choansan in Wolgye-dong (Madeullo 5ga-gil) and the nearby steep slope and sharp curve area in front of Doosan We’ve Apartments. This area is low-lying and surrounded by mountains, receiving little sunlight, making it prone to black ice and other road surface freezing hazards.
The road heating system, which cost 400 million KRW, works by heating cables embedded about 7cm below the road surface to prevent snow or water droplets on the road from freezing. Sensors in a nearby control box collect real-time data on temperature, snowfall, and ground conditions to automatically control the heating cables.
At the same time, the system continuously monitors for cable faults and allows remote control by the administrator through communication with the control center. It is considered a fundamental alternative to manpower-intensive snow removal methods that spray large amounts of environmentally harmful calcium chloride and require many personnel to stand by and respond to residual snow.
Local residents in Wolgye-dong warmly welcome the opening of this heated road. This section is an important access point for residents of nearby apartments to main roads and is heavily used by residents visiting Nokcheon Station and Choansan Sports Park, so it can enhance safety and convenience.
It is also expected to boost the establishment of new bus routes. Previously, bus traffic was absent in winter due to concerns about traffic accidents, causing inconvenience to residents.
The district plans to carefully review the effects of this pilot project and gradually expand the eco-friendly road heating system to build a smart road traffic safety system.
Mayor Oh Seung-rok of Nowon-gu said, “We will prepare comprehensive measures including the eco-friendly road heating system and enhanced safety inspections so that residents in snow-prone areas can travel safely even during heavy or sudden winter snowfall.”
Yangcheon-gu (Mayor Kim Soo-young) announced that it is conducting simultaneous SNS events on its official blog and YouTube channel Yangcheon TV until December 5 to comfort residents exhausted by the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic.
On the official Yangcheon-gu blog, the event ‘Looking Forward to 2022, Together!’ is held for subscribers to the Yangcheon-gu Office KakaoTalk channel. By subscribing, residents can receive useful information such as COVID-19 status updates, monthly cultural events, customized education, and various benefits.
To participate in the blog event, subscribers capture the screen of the KakaoTalk channel and send it along with a hopeful message for 2022 or a message about overcoming COVID-19 via a designated Naver form address. The district plans to send official character ‘Bolbbangbbang Haewoori’ and a 2022 desk calendar decorated with coloring contest winning works to 700 winners selected by lottery.
On the official Yangcheon TV YouTube channel, a photo contest titled ‘Decalcomania of Daily Recovery’ is underway. To participate, viewers first subscribe to Yangcheon TV, watch the newly released Yangcheon-gu music video ‘Love, Feel This Moment Part 2 (new ver.),’ visit the healing spots in Yangcheon-gu featured in the video, take photos, and submit them with a subscription verification shot via Google Form. The photo contest has two themes: ‘Music Video Concept (same pose)’ and ‘Free Photos,’ which include landscapes, verification shots, and past visit photos.
The district will give chicken gifticons to 10 winners of the music video concept photo contest and coffee gifticons to 100 participants selected by lottery, excluding the winners.
Mayor Kim Soo-young of Yangcheon-gu said, “We planned simultaneous blog and YouTube events to bring vitality and energy to residents’ lives weary from the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic. We hope many residents participate and enjoy a moment of healing.”
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