[Seoul District News] Jungnang-gu Calls for Spring Edition Texts for ‘Jungnang Happiness Wall’ Until the 18th; Accepting Original Pure Writings Within 30 Characters Suitable for Fresh Spring... Gwanak-gu to Hold Event on the 10th from 1:30 PM to 4 PM at Seoul National University Haedong Hall Providing Information on 2022 Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy R&D Investment Scale and Focus... Gangseo-gu Recruiting 30 ‘Community Contribution Scholarship’ Students... Gangbuk-gu Operating 36 Lifelong Learning Programs... Geumcheon-gu Recruiting 17 ‘Safe Return Home Scouts’ for 2022... Mapo-gu, 2022 Village...
[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Jungnang-gu (Mayor Ryu Kyung-gi) is accepting submissions for the spring edition of the ‘Jungnang Happiness Bulletin’ until February 18.
The theme for the submissions is ‘spring,’ and entries should be original writings of up to 30 characters that convey warm emotions and offer comfort, resonating with all generations.
Anyone residing in the district or working at a local business can submit one entry each. Submissions can be made through the Jungnang-gu Office website → Citizen Participation → Internet Application section.
If online submission is difficult, entries can be delivered in person to the Administrative Support Division of Jungnang-gu Office or sent by mail (179 Bonghwasan-ro, 4th floor, Administrative Support Division, Jungnang-gu).
After the submission period, a selection committee composed of internal and external members will review the entries and select a total of six works. The grand prize winner will receive 500,000 KRW, and five runners-up will each receive 100,000 KRW in Jungnang Love Gift Certificates, totaling approximately 1,000,000 KRW. The winners will be announced on March 10.
The winning entries will be displayed on the exterior wall of Jungnang-gu Office from March to May, accompanied by beautiful designs that match the season.
Mayor Ryu Kyung-gi of Jungnang-gu said, “I hope the Jungnang Happiness Bulletin will bring small hopes and comfort to citizens in their daily lives. We ask for many submissions so that the bulletin can convey the hopeful and warm energy of the new spring.”
In last winter’s contest, the winning entry was by Kim Yun-seo: “During the winter, the hand of my mother that held my frozen hand. Now, I have become that hand.”
Gwanak-gu (Mayor Park Jun-hee) announced that it will hold the ‘2022 Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy R&D Project Briefing Session’ hosted by Nakseong Venture Startup Center.
This event targets 70 startups within seven years of establishment located in Gwanak-gu and will be held on the 4th floor Haedong Hall of Haedong Academic and Cultural Center, Building 32-1, Seoul National University, on the 10th from 1:30 PM to 4:00 PM.
The government’s R&D budget for 2022 increased by 8.7% from the previous year to 29.777 trillion KRW, with the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy’s R&D budget at 5.5 trillion KRW, ranking second among ministries after the Ministry of Science and ICT’s 9.4 trillion KRW, drawing significant attention.
The briefing will be led by Lee Ki-nyeong, Team Leader of the Project Management Team at the Korea Institute for Advancement of Technology (KIAT), covering ▲2022 government R&D investment scale and focus directions ▲Characteristics and support directions of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy’s R&D projects ▲Introduction to KIAT and support projects ▲Procedures for participating in and executing R&D projects.
Especially, detailed explanations about the ‘Commercialization-Linked Technology Development Project,’ which supported many startups last year through the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, will be provided.
Participating companies can register online on a first-come, first-served basis via the Nakseong Venture Startup Center website. Materials used during the event will be provided only to applicants. For more details, inquiries can be made through the Nakseong Venture Startup Center.
Meanwhile, the district is promoting the ‘Gwanak S Valley’ project to transform the entire district into a global startup hub where universities, companies, and the community coexist, leveraging Seoul National University’s excellent talent and technology and the youth asset to create quality jobs and revitalize the local economy.
As a result of efforts to make ‘Nakseong Venture Valley’ and ‘Sillim Startup Valley’ the two main hubs for ventures and startups, 13 startup infrastructure facilities have been established in three years, with 112 startup companies and 711 startup activists actively engaged. Over the past three years, achievements include 20.5 billion KRW in sales, 38.7 billion KRW in investment attraction, and 9.8 billion KRW in selected support projects.
A district official said, “We hope that through the central government R&D support project information provided at this briefing, companies will be selected for many support projects and focus on technology advancement. We will continue to foster startup companies utilizing excellent talent and technology to build a sustainable startup ecosystem in the region.”
Kim ?? (Inha University sophomore), who participated in last year’s ‘Community Contribution Scholarship Student’ activities, said, “I’m a bit disappointed that I couldn’t do more diverse activities with the children due to COVID-19. However, sharing my talents with the children and studying together was a valuable time for me to grow one step further.”
Gangseo-gu, Seoul (Mayor Roh Hyun-song) announced it will recruit 30 ‘Community Contribution Scholarship Students’ to participate in talent donation activities for underprivileged youth.
The purpose is to provide growing children with opportunities to find their dreams through learning and to offer university students a stepping stone to grow into warm-hearted talents through sharing their abilities.
Participating university students will serve as mentors to elementary, middle, and high school students, conducting activities such as academic guidance, arts and physical education, career exploration, and counseling at local children’s centers and welfare centers.
Eligibility requires applicants to have resided continuously in Gangseo-gu for at least one year as of the recruitment announcement date, be enrolled in a university located in Seoul or the metropolitan area, and have an average academic grade of B or higher in the past year. However, seniors about to graduate and students on leave are excluded.
The total number of recruits is about 30. Interested university students can submit application documents in person or by mail to the Gangseo-gu Scholarship Foundation Secretariat from the 9th to the 23rd.
Required documents include ▲application form ▲self-introduction letter ▲consent form for personal information provision ▲academic transcript (past year) ▲resident registration abstract (including address history) ▲certificate of enrollment.
Detailed information and application forms are available on the Gangseo-gu Scholarship Foundation or district office website.
The district plans to select scholarship students through a two-stage process: document screening and interviews, carefully reviewing academic performance, mentoring capability, and sincerity.
Selected scholarship students will participate in a total of 120 hours of talent-sharing activities from April to December and receive a scholarship of 12,000 KRW per hour proportional to their activity hours.
Additionally, scholarship students who have diligently contributed to the community will receive a recommendation letter from the chairman of the Gangseo-gu Scholarship Foundation upon request, which can assist in job hunting.
A district official said, “This is a meaningful opportunity to help the future of young talents and for the students themselves to grow. We hope many local university students will show interest and participate. We will foster a virtuous cycle culture where society and its members grow together through the spread of talent sharing.”
Since 2019, the district has selected and supported a total of 90 community contribution scholarship students across three cohorts: 32 in the first, 23 in the second, and 35 in the third. For more details, inquiries can be made to the Gangseo-gu Education Support Division.
Gangbuk-gu (Mayor Park Kyum-soo) will operate lifelong learning programs starting in March to provide lifelong education opportunities to residents.
From March, Gangbuk-gu plans to run a total of 36 programs, including 26 new ones, at the Gangbuk Cultural Information Library. The programs are organized under three main goals: ▲Lifelong Learning for All (Inclusive Education) ▲Lifelong Learning Preparing for the Future (Vocational Education) ▲Lifelong Learning Growing Together (Specialized Education), and cover six areas: ▲Future ▲Capacity Building ▲Enterprise ▲Democratic Citizenship (Global Citizenship) ▲Socially Vulnerable Groups ▲Learning Clubs.
In the first half of the year, programs such as ▲Languages and Cultures of the World (English, French, Spanish, Chinese) ▲English Library at the Lifelong Learning Center ▲Invention Class for Prospective Entrepreneurs ▲Retirement Preparation Academy ▲Smart Living Class for Single-Person Households will commence.
In the second half, programs include ▲Meditation Gallery in the Library ▲Life Transition Classes for Middle-aged People ▲Science Convergence Education Academy ▲Physical and Mental Health Programs for Seniors ▲Career Experience Programs by Working Professionals.
Those interested can apply through the Gangbuk-gu Neulbaeumteo website. Program operations may change depending on the COVID-19 situation.
Mayor Park Kyum-soo of Gangbuk-gu said, “We have prepared these programs for residents who want to nurture their passion for learning through lifelong education. We will do our best to support all residents so they can enjoy the joy of studying throughout their lives and improve their lives through learning.”
Geumcheon-gu (Mayor Yoo Sung-hoon) is recruiting 17 participants for the ‘Safe Return Scout Project’ from February 7 to 11 to ensure the safe return home of crime-vulnerable groups late at night.
Since 2014, Geumcheon-gu has operated the Safe Return Scout Project to create a safe environment for women and youth and to promote job creation for residents.
Applicants must be healthy Geumcheon-gu residents aged 18 or older as of the announcement date (January 28, 2022) who can actively perform scout duties. However, those currently employed or enrolled in university or graduate school are excluded.
Selected scouts will work from March to December for 10 months, covering five zones (Munseong Police Substation, Baeksan Police Substation, Gasan Police Box, Doksan Police Box, Geumcheon Police Box), supporting residents’ safe return and patrolling crime-vulnerable areas. Last year, they supported 9,745 safe returns and patrolled 9,230 times.
Residents wishing to participate can download the application form from the Geumcheon-gu Office website’s ‘Notices and Announcements’ section, fill it out, and submit it via email (sh0929@geumcheon.go.kr) or in person at the 7th-floor Integrated Welfare Counseling Office of Geumcheon-gu Office.
The safe return support service operates Monday from 10 PM to midnight, and Tuesday to Friday from 10 PM to 1 AM the next day. Residents wishing to use the service should apply 30 minutes before arrival via the Ansim-i app, 120 Dasan Call Center, or Geumcheon-gu Scout Situation Room.
Mayor Yoo Sung-hoon of Geumcheon-gu said, “The Safe Return Scout Project aims to prevent crimes against women and youth through resident escort support and patrols in crime-vulnerable areas. We ask for strong support for the scouts who work on the front lines of crime prevention.”
“When difficulties arise in daily life, I want the village community to work together to find solutions and gain strength to sustain the community.” This is the activity impression of Park Jeong-geum (pseudonym), who participated in last year’s Mapo-gu Village Making Project.
Mapo-gu (Mayor Yoo Dong-gyun) reported that in last year’s ‘Village Making Project Participation Survey,’ 77.8% of participants responded that they want to continue participating, and 94.5% said they would recommend participation to others.
This year, the district is recruiting participants for the ‘2022 Mapo-gu Good Village Making Contest’ until the 21st to revitalize village communities that communicate with neighbors.
The village making contest involves residents of Mapo-gu gathering to identify social issues, solve them through community efforts, and form resident networks.
This year, small-scale club-type gatherings and one-time projects are discouraged. The focus will be on public interest projects addressing issues arising from the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic, such as small business crises and COVID blues.
The recruitment categories are ▲‘Seed Stage (Neighbor Making Project)’ forming resident groups at the dong (neighborhood) level ▲‘Execution Stage (Social Problem Solving Type)’ for experienced resident groups ▲‘Resident Network’ uniting two or more resident groups, totaling three categories.
Applicants must be resident groups of three or more people or non-profit organizations with addresses or living areas in Mapo-gu. Applications can be submitted online via the Seoul Village Community Comprehensive Support Center website.
Selected groups will undergo a preliminary interview in February and final selection by the Village Making Review Committee in March. Selected groups will be announced on the Mapo-gu website and notified individually in April.
This contest has a total budget of 100 million KRW for village community projects. Selected projects can receive support ranging from 1 million KRW to 10 million KRW per project.
For more details, check the announcement on the Mapo-gu website’s ‘Notices’ section or contact the Mapo-gu Autonomous Administration Division Village Autonomy Team or the Mapo-gu Village Community Support Center.
Mayor Yoo Dong-gyun of Mapo-gu said, “In a reality where walls between neighbors have grown higher due to COVID-19, I hope the village community can bring warmth to the alleys. We will spare no support to create a livable Mapo through neighborly communication and cooperation.”
Eunpyeong-gu (Mayor Kim Mi-kyung) is accepting applications for the ‘Tenant Small Business Owner Support Fund’ until March 6 to help small business owners with rent expenses and reduce fixed cost burdens.
The ‘Tenant Small Business Owner Support Fund’ is a support project for small business owners renting business premises in Seoul to stabilize management, decided as part of the ‘Seoul Livelihood Protection Comprehensive Measures’ announced in January.
The purpose is to alleviate the burden of rent, the biggest fixed cost for small business owners, somewhat compensating for insufficient government loss compensation. It is paid separately from government quarantine support funds or loss compensation.
The support scale is a total of 16.1 billion KRW, with about 16,100 business locations in Eunpyeong receiving 1 million KRW each.
Eligible recipients are businesses with annual sales under 200 million KRW in 2020 or last year, currently operating, with business registration and rental business locations in Seoul, and whose opening date was before December 31 of last year.
Excluded are businesses that are closed or suspended, entertainment facilities, industries restricted from loan support, professional occupations such as lawyers, accountants, hospitals, clinics, pharmacies, non-profit corporations, schools, religious organizations, public facilities, those eligible for this year’s special employment or freelancer support funds, public property tenant small business rent reduction recipients, and tourism industry crisis recovery fund recipients.
Applications are accepted from the 7th to March 6 via the Seoul Support Fund website by uploading business registration certificates and commercial lease contracts. During the first five days until the 11th, a 5-day rotation system based on the last digit of the business registration number will be implemented, so applicants must check their eligible dates.
Small business owners who have difficulty applying online can visit the on-site application center at Eunpyeong Hall on the 5th floor of Eunpyeong-gu Office from February 28 to March 4.
Support funds will be paid within 10 business days from the application date after verification of sales and lease contracts by the Seoul Credit Guarantee Foundation.
Appeals can be submitted from March 7 to March 13 only through the Seoul Support Fund website. For other inquiries, contact the Dasan Call Center.
Mayor Kim Mi-kyung of Eunpyeong-gu said, “I hope this support will provide some strength to small business owners going through difficult times due to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic. We will do our best in economic quarantine to stabilize residents’ lives and recover the local economy.”
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