Jongno-gu Wins Presidential Award Most Times Ever... Secures 18.5 Billion Won Through Public Contest Projects

Jongno-gu to Operate 'Court Dance Chun-aengjeon Lessons Danced in the Living Room' Until January 15

[Asia Economy Reporter Jong-il Park] Jongno-gu actively applied for external agency evaluations and public contests hosted by central government ministries and Seoul City last year, achieving excellent results in as many as 166 fields and securing a total of approximately 18.56 billion KRW in funding.

Moreover, by receiving the Presidential Award in four fields in 2021, it set a record for the most awards ever, proving itself as the best administrative power in South Korea.

The award categories include ▲Korea Knowledge Award ▲Korea Urban Award ▲Regional Innovation Merit ▲Merit for Revitalizing Small Businesses and Traditional Markets.

Jongno-gu also won two awards at the ‘2021 AFHC Healthy City Awards’ hosted by the Asia-Pacific Healthy Cities Federation (AFHC) in the categories of ‘Urban Green Space Creation and Walkable City’ and ‘Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of Healthy Cities,’ gaining international recognition for the excellence of its healthy city policies.

Attention should also be paid to the achievements in the field of administrative services. Jongno-gu ranked first in Seoul City for three consecutive years in the local government category of the Korea Service Quality Index (KS-SQI) by the Korea Standards Association. Additionally, it received the Prime Minister’s Award for revising the disaster site action manual reflecting Jongno’s regional characteristics, the Minister of the Interior and Safety Award as an excellent agency for proactive administration, and certification as a women-friendly city.

Jongno-gu’s representative Korean (Han) cultural policies also received favorable reviews, as evidenced by its selection for the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism’s ‘Regional Hanji Demand Activation Support Project,’ ‘Hanbok Culture Regional Hub Contest Project,’ and ‘Regional Cultural Heritage Utilization Contest Project.’

In the road sector, it secured 2 billion KRW in project funds through the ‘Bukchon Pedestrian Zone Smart Pole Specialized Street Creation Support Project (Seoul City)’ and the ‘Seoul City Alleyway Regeneration Project.’ In the job and economy sector, a total of 55 contest projects were selected, securing 5.5 billion KRW in project funds.

In the architecture field, the Inwangsan Outpost Bookstore and Forest Rest Area projects swept awards including the Seoul City Architecture Award Excellence Prize, the Grand Prize at the Korea Wooden Architecture Competition, and the Korean Institute of Architects Award at the Korea Architecture Culture Festival.

In the health and residential welfare sector, following selection for the ‘AI·IoT-based Senior Health Management Pilot Project’ and the ‘Low-rise Residential Area Life-closely Social Infrastructure Supply’ contests, Jongno-gu won the highest award, the Grand Prize, at the Korea Residential Welfare Culture Awards, receiving excellent evaluations across the board.

A district official stated, “As financial support from central ministries and the city is gradually expanding through contest selection methods, we will continue to actively participate in public contests to implement policies essential to residents and maximize the efficiency of financial management. Since these precious funds were secured during the difficult times caused by COVID-19, we will carry out the selected projects without fail and do our best to improve residents’ quality of life.”

In line with the establishment of the Jongno-gu Royal Court Dance Troupe in 2022, Jongno-gu is operating the ‘Court Dance at Home - Chun-aengjeon Workshop’ until the 15th.

The program is designed to allow residents to easily and familiarly experience court dances that embody the dignity of Joseon royal culture online.

The lectures consist of four sessions: ▲Learning the basics of Chun-aengjeon ▲Learning movements to the Boheoja rhythm ▲Learning movements to the Dodri rhythm ▲Learning movements to the Taryeong rhythm.

Following the gentle and smooth movements, participants will have a chance to learn the elegance and beauty of their ancestors.

Anyone interested in the Chun-aengjeon workshop can apply through the Jongno Cultural Foundation website. Currently, 50 participants are being accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. For more details, inquiries can be made to the Cultural Projects Team.

Along with this, the district is accepting applications for general members of the Jongno-gu Royal Court Dance Troupe until the 16th to promote local cultural arts development.

The target applicants are residents of Jongno-gu aged 20 or older. Final candidates will be selected through document screening, practical skills, and interviews. Application forms can be downloaded from the Jongno Cultural Foundation website and submitted via email to the person in charge at dance@jfac.or.kr.

Selected members will participate in regular practice sessions held every Tuesday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., honing their skills and receiving systematic training in traditional court dances such as Chun-aengmu and Geommu from professional instructors.

A district official said, “We hope people will feel the essence of court dance through this Chun-aengjeon workshop,” adding, “We will continue to operate meaningful programs that allow all residents to directly experience our traditional culture.”