[Seoul District News] Yeongdeungpo-gu Implements 7-Day Lunar New Year Comprehensive Measures from Jan 28 to Feb 3 in 5 Areas: Quarantine & Disaster Management, Traffic Convenience, Living Inconvenience Resolution, Price Stabilization, and Support for Marginalized Neighbors... Geumcheon-gu Provides Meal Cards for Lunar New Year to Food-Insecure Children... Gwanak-gu Holds 2022 Lunar New Year Traditional Market Prize Event...
Seongdong-gu Publishes '2022 Welfare System Changes'... Dongdaemun-gu Adds Heated Chairs at 80 Street Bus Stops
[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Yeongdeungpo-gu (District Mayor Chae Hyun-il) announced that it will implement a 'Comprehensive Plan for the Lunar New Year Holiday' for 7 days from January 28 to February 3 to ensure that all residents can spend a safe and comfortable holiday during the major traditional holiday, Seollal.
The plan focuses on five key areas: ▲strengthening traffic safety ▲resolving daily inconveniences ▲stabilizing holiday prices closely related to residents' lives, and ▲securing residents' safety and ▲supporting marginalized neighbors to address welfare blind spots in preparation for COVID-19 and disaster accidents.
In addition, a 24-hour comprehensive situation room will be operated to ensure close communication with task forces in each field, and rapid response to various emergencies that may occur during the holiday period will be carried out.
? Securing Residents' Safety
Efforts will be made to maintain thorough quarantine and disaster safety management even during the holiday.
The health center's screening clinic, Daerim-dong Southern Road Office, and temporary screening clinics installed at Yeouido Park's Culture Square will all operate normally. However, the two temporary screening clinics will be closed on Sunday (January 30) and operate only until 1 PM.
Safety inspections will be conducted on major road facilities and 95 construction sites in preparation for disasters such as safety accidents, fires, and heavy snowfall.
Furthermore, safety inspections have been completed for park facilities such as village squares, green belts, and Anyangcheon, 19 traditional markets and shopping districts, 339 welfare facilities, 16 multi-use facilities such as cinemas, and 46 gas supply facilities.
In particular, fire safety facilities have been reinforced and installed in traditional markets and local shopping districts expected to be visited by many people during the Seollal holiday to thoroughly prevent possible disaster safety accidents.
A task force for food poisoning prevention and management will also be operated. The food poisoning task force will operate from January 28 to February 3, performing duties such as investigating and handling food poisoning incidents and promptly reporting to related agencies.
? Strengthening Traffic Safety
During the holiday period, a traffic countermeasure and parking control situation room will be operated to provide smooth traffic information and establish order.
From January 26 to February 3, intensive crackdowns on illegal parking and stopping will be conducted at major stations, large marts, traditional markets, and other multi-use facilities in the area.
Additionally, special crackdowns on illegal acts such as refusal of late-night taxi rides, long-term parking, and solicitation during the Seollal holiday period are planned.
Four school parking lots and 32 public parking lots (29 on-street parking lots and 3 off-street parking lots) in the area will be opened to prepare for parking difficulties.
? Resolving Daily Inconveniences
To ensure a safe and pleasant Seollal holiday, timely garbage disposal and maintenance of emergency medical systems will be undertaken during the holiday period.
Disposal of household waste, food waste, and recyclables is prohibited on January 29, 31, and February 1. Garbage can be disposed of from 8 PM to midnight on January 30 and February 2. After the holiday ends on February 3, accumulated waste will be promptly collected, focusing on clean houses and recycling stations.
An emergency medical situation room will operate for five days from January 29 to February 2 to provide information on hospitals, clinics, pharmacies open during the holiday, and COVID-19 screening clinics.
Information on medical institutions operating during the holiday can be found on the Yeongdeungpo-gu website's notice section or by inquiring at the comprehensive situation room.
? Stabilizing Holiday Prices and Supporting Marginalized Neighbors
Special management of holiday demand items, price labeling system enforcement, and crackdown on unfair trade practices will be conducted intensively to establish fair commercial order.
Price labeling monitoring will be conducted on holiday ritual items and daily necessities with high price increase concerns, and large retailers, traditional markets, and small to medium-sized marts will be randomly selected for focused guidance and inspection of price destabilizing activities.
Finally, despite the cold weather and prolonged COVID-19 situation, to ensure that no neighbors are left out and everyone can have a warm Seollal holiday, visits to low-income households and Seollal love item sharing events will be promoted. This year, electric mats and padded vests for cold weather protection were delivered to vulnerable groups.
In addition, safety management inspections of fire facilities, electrical and gas facilities at social welfare facilities will be conducted, and emergency contact systems will be thoroughly checked to ensure rapid communication and response in case of emergencies during the holiday.
Chae Hyun-il, Mayor of Yeongdeungpo-gu, said, "We will do our best to ensure that all residents can spend a safe and comfortable holiday by focusing on thorough quarantine and comprehensive measures in each field even during the Seollal holiday period."
Geumcheon-gu (District Mayor Yoo Sung-hoon) will continue the 'Neighborhood Happiness Card' support project for children at risk of food insecurity during this Lunar New Year holiday, following last year's Chuseok.
The 'Neighborhood Happiness Card' project provides children at risk of food insecurity with a Lunar New Year greeting card and a prepaid card usable in the local area to help them enjoy the holiday.
The support targets a total of 1,531 children who, as of January 2022, are using the Child Meal Card (Kkum Namu Card) at the local community center, receiving food support, or using group meal facilities.
The cards can be used from January 24 to June 30, with a limit of 30,000 KRW per person, usable at general restaurants in Geumcheon-gu. The list of eligible restaurants can be checked on the Geumcheon-gu website under 'Geumcheon News.'
Children who received the Neighborhood Happiness Card last Chuseok can use the automatically recharged card without a separate application. New users or those who lost their cards can obtain them at the community center or local children's centers.
Yoo Sung-hoon, Mayor of Geumcheon-gu, said, "We send emotional support to children who may feel isolated amid the ongoing COVID-19 situation," adding, "We hope the Neighborhood Happiness Card helps children spend a joyful holiday with their families and friends."
Gwanak-gu (District Mayor Park Jun-hee) is conducting various events such as traditional market discounts and prize giveaways to overcome the COVID-19 crisis and stimulate consumption during the Seollal holiday.
The district announced that it will promote a 'Seollal Holiday Prize Event and Event' targeting traditional markets and small business owners in unregistered markets, which have been neglected, to increase usage of traditional markets and alleyway commercial districts weakened by the prolonged COVID-19 and to revitalize the local economy.
The event includes 12 markets: ▲Bongcheon Hyundai Market (Euncheon-dong) ▲Gwanak Jungbu Market (Haengun-dong) ▲Bongcheon Jeil General Market & Yeongnim Market (Cheongnyong-dong) ▲Inheon Market (Inheon-dong) ▲Gwanak Sinsa Market (Sinsa-dong) ▲Jowon-dong Penguin Market (Jowon-dong) ▲Sillim Central Market (Jowon-dong) ▲Miseong-dong Dokkaebi Market (Miseong-dong) ▲Nangok Alley-type Shopping District (Nangok-dong) ▲Sinwon Market (Sinwon-dong) ▲Samsung-dong Market (Samsung-dong).
During the holiday period, various events tailored to each market's characteristics, such as discount events, Onnuri gift certificate giveaways for customers who purchase above a certain amount, and prize draws, will be held.
The district has also supported quarantine supplies such as masks to traditional markets and conducted fire and electrical safety inspections to ensure customers can visit the markets safely during the event period, continuing from last year.
Meanwhile, the district has supported the opening of online sales channels for traditional markets through online promotions and sales events such as 'live commerce' to respond to changing consumption patterns. It has also promoted the 'Traditional Market Signboard Improvement Project' to improve the appearance and vitality of traditional markets by unifying the design and standards of disorderly protruding signboards by store.
A district official said, "We have prepared abundant events to help small business owners and local residents who are suffering greatly due to the prolonged COVID-19. We hope you visit nearby traditional markets and enjoy various events and activities."
Seongdong-gu (District Mayor Jung Won-oh) has produced 1,000 copies of the '2022 Changing Welfare System' guidebook containing information on major welfare systems newly implemented or changed this year and will actively inform residents.
The booklet introduces this year's changes at a glance, designed to help residents with limited access to welfare service information in their daily lives. It includes newly established or expanded services by age and target group for this year.
In particular, a 'First Meeting Voucher' worth 2 million KRW will be provided to children born this year, and a monthly infant allowance of 300,000 KRW will be paid in cash for children under 2 years old (0-23 months) raised at home. The child allowance of 100,000 KRW, previously supported up to age 7, has been expanded to children under 8 years old.
From this year, eco-friendly free meals will be fully provided to all children attending public and private kindergartens, and the admission preparation fund, which started for middle and high school students last year, will be fully expanded to elementary, middle, and high school students, providing 200,000 KRW per new elementary school student.
Female adolescents aged 11 to 18 registered in Seongdong-gu will receive a new monthly voucher of 12,000 KRW for purchasing sanitary products, and young adults turning 19 who have been registered in Seongdong-gu for more than one year will receive support funds worth 200,000 KRW per person for the year.
Additionally, the monthly veterans' allowance for national merit recipients, independence patriots, and their families will be increased to 50,000 KRW, with 30,000 KRW given during Seollal and Chuseok holidays, and a new consolation payment of 50,000 KRW during the Month of Patriots and Veterans. Military distinguished families, whose three generations (grandfather to grandson) have completed active military service and received a certificate from the Military Manpower Administration, will receive discounts on public parking lots and district sports facility usage fees.
Other changes include an increase in the basic pension eligibility threshold and useful welfare-related websites. The booklet is available at community centers and comprehensive social welfare centers for easy access by residents.
Jung Won-oh, Mayor of Seongdong-gu, said, "We will actively provide changing information on various welfare needs to residents so that everyone can enjoy it," adding, "We will continue to do our best to create various projects that respond to residents' needs."
Dongdaemun-gu (District Mayor Yoo Deok-yeol) has started operating heated seats at 80 roadside bus stops for residents using buses during the winter season.
A total of 260 million KRW of district funds was invested in installing heated seats at 80 roadside bus stops with boarding platforms in the area. With this addition, heated seats are now available at 181 roadside bus stops in the district, enhancing residents' convenience.
The heated seats began full operation on the 18th, supplying heat when the outside temperature is below 18 degrees Celsius, providing warmth to residents waiting for buses during winter. The heated seats operate annually from November to March, with operating hours from 5 AM to 11 PM, aligned with bus operation times.
The district also plans to install cooling seats at the 181 bus stops equipped with heated seats for residents' convenience during summer.
Yoo Deok-yeol, Mayor of Dongdaemun-gu, said, "With the recent cold wave continuing, we hope the heated seats help alleviate difficulties caused by the cold," adding, "We will continue to improve public transportation facilities, such as installing cooling seats for summer, to enhance residents' transportation convenience."
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