[Seoul District News] Dobong-gu Establishes 30-Room 'Night Cold Shelter' in Lodging Facilities with Safety Measures... Gangseo-gu Provides 8 Billion KRW SME Development Fund Loans... Seongbuk-gu Creates Safe Commute with Most Eco-Friendly Heating Systems Installed Among Seoul Districts... Geumcheon-gu Develops AI Smart Safety Alley... Gangdong-gu Installs Symbolic Sculptural Art for Garaeyeoul Village Entrance Landscape Improvement... Jung-gu Signs Business Agreement with Seoul Housing & Communities Corporation (SH) for Hoehyeon-dong Public Complex Project, B3 to 23 Floors
[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Dobong-gu (Mayor Lee Dong-jin) will operate a ‘Nighttime Cold Wave Shelter’ by signing agreements with three lodging establishments in the district to support vulnerable groups and residents affected by the cold wave during the 2022 winter cold wave warning period, following the nighttime heatwave shelters in the summer of 2021.
The district has designated three lodging establishments within the area as ‘Nighttime Cold Wave Shelters,’ securing a total of 30 rooms to provide warm accommodations for vulnerable elderly residents and those affected by the cold wave.
The nighttime cold wave shelters are ▲Internet Motel (65, Uicheon-ro 24-gil) ▲Motel Sehwa (17, Banghak-ro 6-gil) ▲Lux Motel (739, Dobong-ro), operating from 6 p.m. to 12 p.m. the next day during cold wave warnings.
Eligible users include elderly living alone aged 65 or older, basic livelihood security recipients, low-income elderly, and residents affected by cold wave-related pipe bursts or power outages?essentially, housing-vulnerable groups.
The operation period is until February 2022, with possible extensions if the cold wave warning continues. If the number of users exceeds 30 rooms, additional applications may be accepted depending on room availability. To use the ‘Nighttime Cold Wave Shelter,’ residents must visit their local community service center to apply when a cold wave warning is issued.
According to a district official, the nighttime cold wave shelters operate on a one-person-one-room principle to prevent COVID-19, allowing two persons per room for couples. Strict adherence to quarantine rules such as disinfection, mask-wearing, temperature checks, and health monitoring logs for users will be maintained during use.
Dobong-gu Mayor Lee Dong-jin said, “We will operate cold wave measures and shelters to support residents suffering from the double hardship of COVID-19 and the cold wave, ensuring that no one faces difficulties due to the cold during the year-end and New Year holidays.”
Dongdaemun-gu (Mayor Yoo Deok-yeol) will conduct a 2022 fire prevention campaign targeting 14 traditional markets in the district at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. over two days, the 4th and 6th, to intensify fire prevention efforts ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday.
Fires that occurred consecutively in 2020 and 2021 around Cheongnyangni traditional market caused many stores and goods to be completely destroyed, inflicting huge losses on merchants.
In response, the district planned this campaign to prevent further fire damage in traditional markets.
The campaign is jointly conducted by Dongdaemun Fire Station, the district’s Safety and Disaster Department, Economic Promotion Department, and relevant community service centers. It includes fire prevention guidance for vulnerable stores and collecting safety-related opinions from store owners.
On the 4th at 10 a.m., the campaign will be held at Cheongnyangni Fish Market, Gyeongdong Market, and Gyeongdong Gwangseong Shopping Center; at 2 p.m., at Cheongnyangni General Market, Cheongnyangni Agricultural and Marine Products Market, Cheongnyangni Wholesale Market, Cheongnyangni Fruit and Vegetable Market, Dongseo Market, and Cheongnyangni Traditional Market. On the 6th, the campaign will take place at Hoegi Market and Ikyeong Traditional Market in the morning, and at Dapsimni Hyundai Market, Dapsimni Market, and Jeonnong Rotary Market in the afternoon.
Dongdaemun-gu Mayor Yoo Deok-yeol said, “A fire on the 19th of last month at Cheongnyangni Agricultural and Marine Products Market burned 18 locations including stores storing goods, warehouses, and adjacent houses, causing massive damage. The district will conduct this campaign to raise awareness about fire prevention and ensure no further fire damage occurs in traditional markets.” He added, “We will continue to lead fire prevention efforts so residents can safely use traditional markets and do our best to support the recovery of stores damaged by the Cheongnyangni Agricultural and Marine Products Market fire.”
Gangseo-gu, Seoul (Mayor Roh Hyun-song) has launched support for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and small business owners struggling due to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic.
The district announced a total of 8 billion KRW in SME development fund loan support projects for this year targeting SMEs and small business owners.
The purpose is to alleviate financial difficulties faced by SMEs and small business owners due to the prolonged COVID-19 situation and to revitalize the local economy.
The basic interest rate for SME development fund loans is 1.5% per annum. However, considering the COVID-19 situation, the district will continue to offer a temporary ultra-low interest rate of 0.8% per annum this year, following last year.
Eligible applicants include SMEs registered with factories in the district, venture companies and Inno-Biz companies headquartered in Gangseo-gu, and small business owners with business registration in the district. Applicants must have been registered for at least one year as of the application date and have sales performance and collateral capability.
Each company can receive up to 300 million KRW (50 million KRW for small business owners). The support conditions require the funds to be used for facility funds, operating funds, or technology development funds, with a repayment plan of one-year grace period followed by four years of equal installments.
Applications are accepted until funds are exhausted. Interested companies and small business owners can visit the Gangseo-gu Office’s Regional Economy Division to submit applications along with business plans, copies of business registration certificates, and other related documents.
Detailed information and application forms can be found on the Gangseo-gu Office website under ‘News Plaza - Notices/News.’
Selection of supported companies will be based on credit and real estate collateral capacity checks by financial institutions, and selected applicants can receive loan support immediately.
A district official said, “We hope this loan support will help alleviate the financial difficulties of SMEs struggling due to COVID-19. We will continue to discover and implement various SME support policies.”
Last year, the district supported 58 companies with about 3 billion KRW from the SME development fund and additionally provided interest-free loans worth 20 billion KRW, demonstrating efforts to support SMEs and small business owners.
Gangdong-gu (Mayor Lee Jung-hoon) announced the installation of a symbolic sculptural art piece to improve the entrance landscape of Garaeyeoul Village.
The district installed the artwork in Garaeyeoul Village as part of the 2021 Gangdong-gu resident participatory budget. Artist Lim Cheol collaborated with local residents and Gangdong-gu to provide broad cultural enjoyment opportunities and promote local arts and culture.
The artwork symbolizes the history and culture of the Garaeyeoul Village area, expressing the village’s identity by depicting a stream at the entrance, reflecting the village’s meaning as “a place with many hackberry trees by the Han River stream.”
The installation of the symbolic sculptural art has boosted pride among residents living in the traditional village, created a distinctive place in the village, and improved the aging environment.
Gangdong-gu Mayor Lee Jung-hoon said, “The symbolic sculptural art at Garaeyeoul Village brightens the village entrance and is expected to improve the surrounding environment. It is meaningful as it was created in cooperation with local residents. The district will continue to do its best to improve the landscape within the area.”
Seongbuk-gu (Mayor Lee Seung-ro) has installed the largest number of ‘eco-friendly heating cable systems’ among Seoul’s autonomous districts this year, as in 2021, to prepare for winter traffic safety accidents. The district completed installation work by November last year on heating cables at 11 hazardous snowy areas.
Seongbuk-gu is a region with many steep hills and slopes, where vehicle traffic becomes difficult during heavy snowfall, often complicating snow removal efforts. To address this, starting in 2016 with Seongbuk-ro 4-gil (Hanshin Hanjin Apartment passage), the district added 11 more locations this year, completing a total of 28 sites with 8.1 km of eco-friendly heating cable systems, establishing the ‘largest’ eco-friendly smart heating cable system in Seoul.
During the sudden heavy snowfall early last year, which caused numerous traffic accidents and resident damages across Seoul, Seongbuk-gu operated the eco-friendly smart heating cable system, enabling rapid and efficient response to minimize resident damage despite the heavy snow.
Notably, the road eco-friendly heating cable installation project is recognized as a prompt resolution of resident complaints raised during the ‘On-site Mayor’s Office’ initiative, a key project of Seongbuk-gu’s 7th term administration.
The district plans to consider expanding the road heating cable system installation to slopes frequently used by vulnerable pedestrians such as the elderly and elementary school students, aiming to create a safe and comfortable road environment during winter snowfall.
For vulnerable areas without heating cable systems, the district will conduct frequent safety inspections and pre-apply de-icing agents according to snow removal measures to prevent winter traffic accidents on snowy roads, a district official said.
Seongbuk-gu Mayor Lee Seung-ro said, “Last winter’s heavy snowfall caused traffic congestion and safety accidents across Seoul’s autonomous districts, inconveniencing residents. However, in Seongbuk-gu, the heating cable system strengthened road traffic safety and prompt snow removal minimized resident damage. We will continue to ensure residents can commute safely and comfortably during winter.”
Geumcheon-gu (Mayor Yoo Sung-hoon) implemented a smart alley complex service tailored to local characteristics in alleys with high traffic accident risks.
First, to prevent accidents caused by vehicle speeding, ‘Safety Keeper Smart Boards’ were pilot-installed at two entrances to school zones (Doksan 4-dong Doksan Library and Siheung 2-dong Tapdong Elementary School area). The ‘Safety Keeper Smart Board’ is an intelligent vehicle speed warning system using radar to provide proactive accident prevention information to drivers.
Next, to prevent accidents where pedestrians collide with right-turning vehicles at intersections, ‘AI Pedestrian Alerts’ were installed at three children’s school routes (Doksan 3-dong Ant Kindergarten, Doksan 4-dong Doksan Library, and Siheung 2-dong Donggwang Elementary School area). The ‘AI Pedestrian Alert’ is an AI traffic system that provides real-time, intuitive information via high-resolution LED displays, speakers, and lighting to both drivers and pedestrians before vehicles enter the blind spot of right-turn intersections.
Both the Safety Keeper Smart Boards and AI Pedestrian Alerts not only help reduce traffic accidents but also collect and analyze vehicle and pedestrian movement data. If proven effective, the district plans to expand installation to two more locations in February 2022.
Finally, ‘Runway-type Crosswalks’ were additionally installed in four low-rise residential area alleys (Doksan 3-dong Ant Kindergarten, Doksan 4-dong Doksan Library and low-rise residential area, Siheung 2-dong Tapdong Elementary School area). The ‘Runway-type Crosswalk’ is a traffic system that uses GPS and illuminance sensors to automatically light up LED floor lights at un-signalized crosswalks with short visibility, enhancing driver visibility at night or during rain.
Geumcheon-gu Mayor Yoo Sung-hoon said, “To enhance residents’ experience of smart traffic safety services, we selected target sites and reviewed safety with Geumcheon Police Station, related departments, and local residents from the early stages of the project. We will strive to provide continuous, advanced smart services tailored to Geumcheon-gu’s characteristics rather than one-off services.”
Jung-gu, Seoul (Mayor Seo Yang-ho) announced on the 4th that it signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Seoul Housing and Communities Corporation (SH) to promote the Hoehyeon-dong Public Office Complex Project.
Jung-gu, the central commercial area of Seoul, faces difficulties in expanding infrastructure for resident convenience due to high land prices and rents. The district found a solution in the life SOC complexification. Life SOC complexification involves remodeling or rebuilding old public facilities such as community centers to provide multifunctional facilities rather than single-function ones.
The Hoehyeon-dong Public Office Complex Project is part of this life SOC complexification initiative. The district plans to build a new public office in Hoehyeon-dong using donated land, relocating public facilities such as the community center, national and public daycare centers, and libraries in a user-centered manner to provide one-stop administrative services.
The public office, to be built on donated land at 203-4 Hoehyeon-dong 1-ga, will have a total floor area of 24,000 square meters, with 3 basement floors and 23 above-ground floors. It will also include a public parking lot and 296 units of happy housing.
Hoehyeon-dong Community Center and Hoehyeon Daycare Center are currently located on steep slopes and suffer from frequent resident complaints due to aging facilities, making relocation urgent. The district decided to proceed with this complexification project to provide a pleasant office and childcare environment for nearby residents and infants and to improve the efficiency of public facility use.
To minimize district expenses for the project, the district applied for the government’s ‘Life SOC Complexification Project’ (hosted by the Office for Government Policy Coordination) in April last year and was finally selected in October, securing 3.15 billion KRW in national funding.
An official from Seoul Housing and Communities Corporation (SH), the project executor, said, “Happy housing for young people will be created above the public office, and additional resident convenience facilities will be arranged through national and city subsidies. The Hoehyeon-dong public office construction will greatly contribute to revitalizing urban vitality and the local economy.”
Jung-gu and SH plan to finalize detailed project plans through further consultations, promptly proceed with administrative procedures such as investment review and design competitions, and aim to start construction in the first half of 2024 and complete it in the second half of 2026.
The signing ceremony was replaced by an exchange of signed agreements on the 4th due to strengthened COVID-19 quarantine guidelines.
Jung-gu Mayor Seo Yang-ho said, “Compared to the Sindang area of Jung-gu, the Hoehyeon-dong area lacks resident convenience facilities. Through the construction of the Hoehyeon-dong complex public office, residents in Myeong-dong and Hoehyeon-dong will be able to enjoy various living infrastructures.”
Nowon-gu (Mayor Oh Seung-rok) announced the creation of the dementia-friendly park ‘Danghyeoncheon Memory Path’ along a section of the Danghyeoncheon walking trail frequently visited by residents.
As society enters a super-aged phase, the number of dementia patients, a common elderly disease, is rapidly increasing. Nowon-gu, with a large elderly population, has an estimated 8,737 dementia patients and a dementia prevalence rate of 7.0%, higher than Seoul’s average of 6.5%, highlighting the need for systematic dementia prevention and management projects.
Accordingly, the district created the ‘Danghyeoncheon Memory Path’ along 200 meters of the Danghyeoncheon walking trail near Sanggye 6 and 7-dong to provide health programs that enhance cognitive abilities for the elderly and to offer correct information about dementia to residents.
An arch-shaped “Danghyeoncheon Memory Path” sign was installed at the park entrance to attract attention, and healing benches featuring the Dementia Safety Center logo were newly added midway along the trail for elderly rest.
Along the memory path, 10 information boards were installed to provide guidance on dementia prevention and cognitive improvement for the elderly. The boards include basic health information such as causes, types, diagnosis, treatment methods, and prevention rules of dementia, as well as fun quizzes like sentence completion and memory tests to engage residents’ interest.
The district plans to use the memory path to operate elderly exercise programs in cooperation with local health centers and related organizations, conduct regular campaigns to foster a dementia-friendly community atmosphere, and continue promotional activities.
As of December 2021, the Nowon-gu Dementia Safety Center has registered a total of 44,749 individuals, including 37,527 normal elderly, 2,865 with mild cognitive impairment, and 4,357 dementia patients, providing tailored management services for each.
Despite operational restrictions due to COVID-19 last year, the center actively promoted dementia prevention via SNS, produced and distributed educational videos by experts such as occupational therapists to support non-face-to-face learning.
Additionally, small group activities with fewer than five participants, such as guitar classes, ukulele, and coloring, are held to help prevent dementia and support leisure activities for the elderly. Free memory tests and related programs are available by contacting the Nowon-gu Dementia Safety Center.
Nowon-gu Mayor Oh Seung-rok said, “I hope walking along the newly created Danghyeoncheon Memory Path will help residents realize the importance of early dementia screening and encourage them to take care of their health. We will continue to implement various prevention and management projects and prepare support measures so residents can live healthy and happy lives without dementia worries.”
Yangcheon-gu (Mayor Kim Soo-young) announced that the expansion and reconstruction project of the Wolseong Senior Citizens’ Center in Sinwol 1-dong was selected for the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s low-rise residential area life-oriented social infrastructure supply project, and will be newly reborn with urban regeneration.
The low-rise residential area life-oriented social infrastructure supply project aims to create social infrastructure such as small libraries, senior citizen rest areas, and parks within a 10-minute walking distance (within 500 meters) for residents of aging low-rise residential areas.
Sinwol 1-dong has about 1,200 single-person households aged 65 or older, ranking fifth in Yangcheon-gu for the number of elderly living alone. However, modernized senior citizen infrastructure such as senior centers is generally lacking compared to the elderly population, making the establishment of new senior leisure facilities urgently needed.
Accordingly, the Sinwol 1-dong Urban Regeneration Field Support Center conducted a survey among local residents and derived plans for the expansion and reconstruction of the Wolseong Senior Citizens’ Center to expand senior leisure facilities. The project was finally selected in the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s low-rise residential area life-oriented social infrastructure supply project competition.
The Wolseong Senior Citizens’ Center is located at the entrance of Doldari Children’s Park and Sinyeong Market, a place with high foot traffic. Through this expansion and reconstruction project, the district plans to build smart facilities and introduce equipment necessary for dementia prevention and health promotion. The renewed Wolseong Senior Citizens’ Center is expected to become a beloved local landmark for seniors and residents alike.
Yangcheon-gu Mayor Kim Soo-young said, “We will continue to expand insufficient infrastructure in the area centered on the Sinwol 1-dong Urban Regeneration Field Support Center and strive for second-generation urban regeneration restructuring.”
Seocho-gu achieved a total of 77 awards last year from central government and various external organizations across diverse fields such as safety, culture, integrity, and finance, earning recognition as a ‘transparent and innovative administration city.’
Major awards include ▲Prime Minister’s Award for Safety (Civil Defense) from the Ministry of the Interior and Safety ▲Prime Minister’s Award for Korea Public Design from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism ▲Cultural Autonomy Award from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism ▲2nd grade public institution integrity rating (highest among Seoul autonomous districts) from the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission ▲Best district in local government financial analysis evaluation from the Ministry of the Interior and Safety ▲Minister’s Award for excellence in local finance tax cases from the Ministry of the Interior and Safety ▲Double champion in Resident Life Innovation from the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, among others.
Notably, the district leads innovation in Korean public administration by registering a total of 119 cases on the government innovation platform hosted by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, showing a significant gap from the second place.
This year, the district also won overseas awards. At the Green Apple Awards, one of the four major international environmental awards, Seocho-gu achieved a triple crown with ▲Bicycle Repair Center and Eco-friendly Free Cleaning Service (Grand Prize) ▲Umbrella Repair Center (Grand Prize) ▲Eco-friendly Ecological Education Program ‘Cheoncheon Tour’ (Silver Prize), widely promoting Seocho-gu’s eco-friendly policies globally.
Additionally, the district was selected in 39 categories of various public contests, securing about 14 billion KRW in incentives. This is the result of actively discovering and applying for various projects with creative ideas.
Representative projects include ▲Life SOC Complexification Project (3 billion KRW) hosted by the Office for Government Policy Coordination ▲Development Restriction Zone Life Park Contest (1.1 billion KRW) hosted by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport ▲Banpo Sports Complex Multipurpose Sports Facility Construction (1.819 billion KRW) hosted by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. The district plans to use these incentives prudently for related projects.
Seocho-gu Acting Mayor Cheon Jeong-wook said, “This achievement is the result of efforts by Seocho residents and over 1,500 Seocho colleagues. We will continue to contribute to improving residents’ quality of life through transparent and innovative administration.”
Dongjak-gu (Mayor Lee Chang-woo) is providing year-round psychological counseling services to residents to prevent anxiety and depression caused by accumulated stress and fatigue due to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic and to maintain healthy daily life.
The COVID-19 psychological counseling service is hosted by the Dongjak-gu Mental Health Welfare Center and Mind Health Center. It is available not only to confirmed patients and their families, and those in self-quarantine (including overseas entrants and close contacts), but also to residents experiencing anxiety and stress related to COVID-19, who can receive telephone counseling anytime.
Counseling is conducted by mental health professionals at the Mental Health Welfare Center. If the assessment and counseling results indicate a high-risk group or if in-depth counseling is desired, clients are referred to specialized counseling institutions for continuous management and rapid recovery support.
Since 2020, the district has sent over 25,000 psychological support text messages to patients in residential treatment centers, confirmed patients, and those in self-quarantine, and provided more than 5,800 telephone psychological counseling sessions.
One caller expressed gratitude, saying, “Even talking over the phone like this greatly relieved my anxiety and provided some comfort.”
For more details about psychological counseling services, contact the Dongjak-gu Mental Health Welfare Center.
Additionally, the Mental Health Welfare Center operates a ‘Happiness Clinic’ where adults (every Wednesday) and children/adolescents (third Tuesday) can receive psychiatric consultations and diagnostic evaluations under COVID-19 quarantine guidelines.
On the last Friday of every month, the Mind Health Center provides face-to-face psychiatric counseling services to local residents, Noryangjin examinees, and local workers, continuously supporting residents’ mental health recovery.
Moreover, last year, the district supported 392 COVID-19 response personnel with mental health checkups and counseling through the ‘Visiting Mind Relief Bus,’ provided beverages, snacks, massage and nail art services via ‘Hero Healing Day,’ and distributed art experience kits to alleviate job stress and fatigue and promote psychological stability.
Park Sung-hee, head of the Health Management Division at Dongjak-gu Public Health Center, said, “We will do our best to support psychological recovery for residents’ tired minds. Please feel free to seek help anytime during difficult times.”
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