[Seoul District News] Construction of a Hub Library in Heukseok Area Without Public Library in Heukseok 8 Redevelopment Promotion Zone of Dongjak-gu to Provide Community-Based Public Services... Dobong-gu Improves Road Structure to Ensure Student Safety on the Way to School, Converts Remaining Space into Resident Community Area as a Good Governance Case... Geumcheon-gu Gasan Library Enhances Environment with Picture and Letter Boards for Easy Access by Vulnerable Groups, and Special Collection... Mapo-gu Creates 'Light Street' in Hongdae Area and Yonggang-dong Shopping District... Gangdong-gu, 2022 ‘Parent Association Support’
[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Dongjak-gu (Mayor Lee Chang-woo) will open the 'Kkamangdol Library' (129 Seodal-ro), a space for culture and communication, on the 28th.
The site of the newly opened library is a donated land within the Heukseok 8 Redevelopment Promotion Zone. Since there was no public library in the Heukseok area, a hub library was newly constructed to provide community-based public services.
'Kkamangdol Library' is a complex facility with a total floor area of 4,456㎡, consisting of 2 basement floors to 5 above-ground floors, including ▲library ▲daycare center ▲Mom's Heart Cafe.
It is expected to provide residents with not only the functions of a library but also ▲a space for culture and communication ▲play and rest, offering community-based public services and addressing the increasing demand for childcare.
The name 'Kkamangdol Library,' selected through a public contest last June, originates from the old Heukseok-dong, known as the 'Black Stone Village,' which has a cute and friendly image.
The facility consists of ▲a performance hall on basement level 1 ▲daycare center, Mom's Heart Cafe, and book cafe on floors 1 and 2 ▲family reading room and a creative workshop space on floor 3 ▲general reading room on floor 4 ▲cultural and arts reading room and rooftop garden on floor 5.
Kkamangdol Library is a culture and arts specialized library with art pieces displayed throughout the building. It plans to host various performances and exhibitions under the theme 'Kkamangdol embracing cultural event performances.'
On the opening day, there will be an art exhibition and a photo zone. Starting next year, collaboration exhibitions with artists will be held, allowing visitors to meet artists and enjoy in-depth appreciation of artworks guided by docents.
The operating hours are Tuesday to Sunday, excluding Mondays and legal holidays, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends.
Kkamangdol Library is expected to become a space where art exhibitions, the sound of children reading, and the exchange of information with librarians naturally coexist, making it a comfortable place for everyone.
Lee Chang-woo, Mayor of Dongjak-gu, said, "I hope this space becomes a place where people of all ages, from children to adults, gather, communicate, and want to visit again."
Dobong-gu (Mayor Lee Dong-jin) opened 'Changdong Motungi 63' (53 Deokneung-ro 63-gil, Dobong-gu), a community and cultural space for local residents, on the 24th.
The building name 'Changdong Motungi 63' combines the local name 'Changdong,' 'Motungi' meaning corner of the road, and '63' from the street address Deokneung-ro 63-gil. The building has a total floor area of 910.08㎡, spanning from basement level 1 to 5 above-ground floors.
The opening ceremony held the same day was attended by the Dobong-gu mayor, Dobong-gu council members, operators, and local residents, featuring ribbon-cutting, congratulatory speeches, and facility tours.
'Changdong Motungi 63' consists of ▲5th floor Chang 2-dong public small library ▲4th floor Changdong Makerspace ▲3rd floor community childcare sharing center ▲2nd floor Everyone's School Dobong Learning Center ▲1st floor operation support office ▲basement shared auditorium.
Notably, the 4th floor 'Changdong Makerspace' is a creative space equipped with 3D printers, laser cutters, UV printers, etc. The 3rd floor 'Community Childcare Sharing Center' serves as a community space for child-rearing, providing play areas for children and communication spaces for parents.
The 2nd floor 'Everyone's School Dobong Learning Center' is a lifelong learning space specialized in media use such as non-face-to-face lectures and live commerce.
As the name suggests, 'Changdong Motungi 63' is a good administrative case that returned leftover space to residents, adding significance.
The Changnim Elementary School intersection where 'Changdong Motungi 63' is located had long-standing issues with traffic congestion and safety on school commute routes due to the road's right-angle layout causing contact accidents between large vehicles and waiting cars.
In response, Dobong-gu purchased the corner site, improved the road structure to a curve to secure turning angles for large vehicles, and utilized the idle land to build 'Changdong Motungi 63.'
Lee Dong-jin, Mayor of Dobong-gu, said, "Changdong Motungi 63 will be operated as an open space for local residents of all ages, from infants to seniors. We will develop it as a space where culture, education, and childcare harmonize."
Seongdong-gu (Mayor Jung Won-oh) received the Prime Minister's Award at the '11th Children's Safety Awards' held nationwide for basic local governments.
Co-hosted by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety and others, the Safety Awards comprehensively evaluate based on strict criteria including written surveys, on-site inspections, and presentations regarding safety measures, system improvements, spread of children's safety culture, and project performance.
In particular, the status of children's safety accidents such as traffic accidents from 2017 to 2019 is investigated based on accurate statistics, and the policy effectiveness is also assessed to determine whether children's safety policies achieve practical results.
Seongdong-gu, which previously won the Prime Minister's Award in 2016 and 2018, emphasized in the inauguration speech of the 7th local government that 'integrity, the most fundamental virtue of public officials, is prioritized, and public officials are responsible for the safety and happiness of residents.'
This award is evaluated to stem from the district's proactive and innovative policy implementation, including the nation's first ordinance on protecting children's and youth's life safety, Seoul's first ordinance supporting after-school care for elementary students in Seongdong-gu, and UNICEF Child-Friendly City certification (2018), establishing a solid institutional foundation.
The district pioneered an agreement between KEPCO and KT to relocate utility poles causing traffic inconvenience and safety threats, aiming to relocate 150 poles in 2023. Last year, 60 poles were maintained, and customized solutions for school commute routes were implemented through the 'Seongdong-type Living Lab.'
Seongdong-gu installed unmanned traffic enforcement cameras in 175 children's protection zones across the district, operates 'Walking School Bus' accompanying elementary students to and from school, and expanded children's protection zones to include daycare centers and kindergartens, totaling 49 zones. It also operates all-day care classrooms 'Ikkum Nuriter' and has promoted bicycle insurance enrollment for all residents without separate procedures since 2017.
This year, the district completed yellow carpet installations at all 21 elementary schools and piloted the 'Seongdong-type Yellow School Zone' last November by painting all facilities in children's protection zones with noticeable safety colors and installing speed cameras and speed warning systems, actively promoting traffic safety projects.
Additionally, the district is working on creating a safe walking environment for children using smart technologies such as the nation's first 'Seongdong-type Smart Crosswalk,' 'Seongdong-type Smart Shelter' protecting vulnerable road users from fine dust, heat waves, and cold waves, smart CCTV video monitoring systems, and a local government big data analysis platform.
According to the Road Traffic Authority's Traffic Accident Analysis System (TAAS), from 2017 to 2019, there were 30,123 pedestrian traffic accidents in Seoul. Among them, Seongdong-gu recorded 738 accidents, the lowest number among Seoul's 25 districts.
The district plans to continue introducing policies using appropriate technology and actively cooperate with the public and private sectors to promote various projects for children's safety.
Jung Won-oh, Mayor of Seongdong-gu, said, "Safety is our foremost responsibility. This award is a result of many people's participation, not just the district's efforts. We will continue to do our best to create a safe environment for children."
Gangbuk-gu (Mayor Park Gyeom-su) signed a business agreement with the Park Eul-bok Embroidery Museum on the 23rd to promote local culture and arts.
According to the agreement, the two institutions will join forces to provide cultural and artistic experiences to residents and tourists. They plan to strengthen cooperation when offering various experiential programs and cultural events. The signing ceremony was attended by Park Gyeom-su, Mayor of Gangbuk-gu, and Oh Young-ho, Director of the Embroidery Museum.
Registered as a private museum in 2010, the Park Eul-bok Embroidery Museum is a space where visitors can appreciate the history of modern and contemporary embroidery in one place. It first opened in 2002 to honor Park Eul-bok (1915?2015), a pioneer who combined traditional embroidery with modern and contemporary painting.
The museum permanently exhibits about 40 works by Park Eul-bok and holds special exhibitions in spring and autumn. It is equipped with exhibition halls, education rooms, and archives, housing a collection of 276 items. Needle-shaped sculptures can be seen from the path leading to the museum entrance.
The embroidery museum is conveniently located near Solbat Park Station on the Ui-Sinseol Urban Railway. Visitors can also walk the Pine Forest Trail, the first section of the Bukhansan Dulle-gil, located above the museum.
Park Gyeom-su, Mayor of Gangbuk-gu, said, "The historical and cultural heritage nestled along the foothills of Bukhansan is our greatest asset. I hope the Park Eul-bok Embroidery Museum becomes a representative tourist attraction for local traditional culture and arts."
Guro-gu (Mayor Lee Sung) finalized its 2022 main budget at 836.42 billion KRW after approval by the district council.
Guro-gu stated, "Through the 305th regular session held from the 29th of last month to the 17th of this month, the district council increased the budget by 13.16% compared to this year, finalizing next year's budget. This is an increase of 97.26 billion KRW from this year's main budget of 739.16 billion KRW."
The 2022 Guro-gu budget will be allocated across 13 sectors: general public administration (46.1 billion KRW), public order and safety (5.9 billion KRW), education (21.4 billion KRW), culture and tourism (29 billion KRW), environment (42 billion KRW), social welfare (462.5 billion KRW), health (27.7 billion KRW), agriculture, forestry, marine and fisheries (1.6 billion KRW), industry, small and medium enterprises and energy (6.1 billion KRW), transportation and logistics (25.3 billion KRW), land and regional development (20.8 billion KRW), contingency funds (7 billion KRW), and others (140.8 billion KRW).
The district plans to focus resources on resident welfare, revitalizing the local economy, and continuous response to COVID-19.
In the social welfare sector, which accounts for the largest share, emphasis is placed on responding to diverse welfare needs of the elderly, disabled, beneficiaries, youth, and women, and strengthening the social safety net.
In education and culture, efforts will be made to secure cultural and artistic spaces and expand library facilities. The health sector will focus on managing COVID-19 confirmed cases and community quarantine. The industry, SMEs, and energy sector will work on revitalizing the local economy through projects such as creating public parking lots in traditional markets and issuing Guro Love Gift Certificates.
The special account budget is 13.92 billion KRW, allocated for projects such as medical aid and parking lot construction.
Lee Sung, Mayor of Guro-gu, said, "We will make thorough preparations to ensure that the confirmed budget is executed to help residents regain their daily lives. We will concentrate all our capabilities to bring vitality to the region, which has been stagnant due to COVID-19, and to move toward a new future."
Gangdong-gu (Mayor Lee Jung-hoon) will expand the budget for the 2022 'Parent Association Support Project' operating expenses.
The 'Parent Association Support Project' provides operating expenses to parent associations of 62 elementary, middle, high, and special schools in the district to strengthen parents' educational autonomy, foster a healthy study atmosphere, improve educational conditions, and promote parental participation in school education.
Noting that parent education has not been as active as student and teacher education, Gangdong-gu has supported operating expenses for the 'Parent Association Support Project' since 2018 and continuously created opportunities for communication with parents through initiatives such as 'Visiting Mayor's Office' and 'Parent Meetings.'
This year, operating expenses will be provided to applicant schools including Gangdong Middle School, allowing each parent association to autonomously develop and execute projects tailored to their school's characteristics, thereby strengthening the educational community's capabilities.
Currently, educational conditions in schools are challenging due to unstable class environments and increasing students struggling with learning adaptation caused by COVID-19, emphasizing the role of parent associations within schools.
Accordingly, the district decided to further expand the budget for operating expenses of the 'Parent Association Support Project' in 2022 to revitalize parent association operations.
Lee Jung-hoon, Mayor of Gangdong-gu, said, "We will expand programs such as sustainable development education (ESD) parent association programs, parent education for understanding and communication with adolescent children, and online parent meetings using e-studio to enhance opinion gathering and learning support, further developing the capabilities of parent associations."
Geumcheon-gu Gasan Library has been improved to be easily accessible to everyone.
First, the library's reading rooms have created 'Communication Aid Picture and Text Boards' for users who have difficulty speaking or writing. These boards express necessary library phrases such as 'Book loan/return,' 'Please show your membership card,' and 'The return date is ○○,' using pictures or text, enabling easy communication between users and librarians.
Additionally, to accommodate vulnerable groups including people with disabilities and foreigners with limited Korean proficiency, supplementary alternative communication (AAC) pictures and English text were added to guide signs by floor and space.
On the 6th floor's book playroom, a 'Easy Library' corner was established to guarantee the right to know for vulnerable groups. This corner offers specialized materials such as ▲easy-to-read books for slow learners ▲tactile books ▲braille-labeled books ▲books for understanding disabilities.
Moreover, a library service guide video was produced and posted on the 'Geumcheon Cultural Foundation Library' YouTube channel. The video includes subtitles and narration for the hearing and visually impaired, as well as subtitles in English, Chinese, and Vietnamese for multicultural families.
Oh Jin-yi, CEO of Geumcheon Cultural Foundation, said, "This environmental improvement was carried out through the Seoul City Library Support Public Contest. We will continue to strive to prevent knowledge and information gaps for physically, culturally, and socially vulnerable groups."
Mapo-gu (Mayor Yoo Dong-gyun) announced on the 20th that it created a light street illuminating the night in the Hongdae area, a representative tourist spot, and the Yonggang-dong shopping district, known for its many restaurants.
The district added that the light street was created to deliver messages of healing and hope through light sculptures to citizens and nearby merchants exhausted by the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic.
Last year's light street in the Hongdae area has been expanded this year to the Yonggang-dong shopping district to revitalize the frozen dining industry, and it will operate until February next year.
At the entrance of Hongdae Hongtong Street, a 4-meter-high sculpture themed on starlight is installed on the central pillar, and milky way landscape lights are installed on trees along the 130-meter-long Hongdae Walkable Street, softly illuminating the street.
A Christmas tree was installed around the plaza stage to create a year-end atmosphere, and photo zones were set up with dichroic star benches, heart-shaped light sculptures, and rainbow light sculptures near the busking zone and travel stage.
In the Yonggang-dong shopping district, milky way landscape lighting was installed on trees at the intersection where the statue of early Joseon Confucian scholar Tojeong Lee Ji-ham is located, and string lights were connected between trees to create a warm atmosphere.
Furthermore, to announce a hopeful new year, light sculptures shaped as '2022,' moon benches, overlapping square benches, and emotional circle benches were installed, offering visitors wonderful memories.
Yoo Dong-gyun, Mayor of Mapo-gu, said, "I hope this becomes a healing time for citizens visiting Hongdae Street and Yonggang-dong shopping district and an opportunity to increase sales for nearby businesses. Next year, we plan to expand the light street areas further to revitalize the tourism commercial district."
Yangcheon-gu (Mayor Kim Soo-young) designated 28 Atopy and Asthma Safe Schools in the district to help children grow up healthily and conducted a self-prevalence survey on atopy, asthma, rhinitis, and other conditions among 3,438 children and students enrolled as of last October.
The survey results showed that among all respondents, the prevalence ranking of diseases was allergic rhinitis (9.7%), atopic dermatitis (5.6%), food allergy (5.1%), asthma (0.6%), and anaphylaxis (0.2%). Allergic rhinitis prevalence was highest across all age groups regardless of age. This trend is attributed to westernized living environments and dietary habits, leading to a sharp overall increase in allergic diseases among children.
Allergic diseases require careful management as untreated early conditions can lead to severe diseases such as adult atopy. Among allergic diseases, asthma can cause emergencies like attacks and breathing difficulties, requiring special attention.
In this regard, Yangcheon-gu's designation of safe schools and prevalence survey is a meaningful achievement in securing preliminary data for managing the health of children in group settings.
Based on the survey results, the district plans to classify high-risk children and provide necessary support. Atopy patients will receive dedicated high-moisture creams and patient management cards. Moisturizers will be distributed according to prevalence by institution, and new safe schools will be additionally provided with asthma attack emergency kits including inhalers and emergency response manuals.
Additionally, the district supports preventive education at safe schools and conducts certification through indoor environment surveys to create a healthy growth environment. For vulnerable groups burdened by treatment costs, an annual medical expense support project of up to 300,000 KRW is also underway.
Kim Soo-young, Mayor of Yangcheon-gu, said, "Early detection, treatment, and management of representative allergic diseases such as atopic dermatitis and asthma in infants and elementary students are crucial. We will do our best to make Yangcheon-gu a happy and healthy city for children through various projects including establishing emergency management systems in schools, preventive education, moisturizers, and medical expense support."
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