[Seoul District News] Jungnang-gu Bang Jeong-hwan Education Support Center Celebrates 1st Anniversary on May 4 with 91% Satisfaction in Recent Program Survey... Celebrating 100th Children's Day, Tracing Sofa Bang Jeong-hwan's Independence Movement Footsteps... Yeongdeungpo-gu Hosts Couples' Day Event... Dobong-gu Installs Korea's Longest Security Light Dimming System along Jungnangcheon Stream... From Recipients to Volunteers... Jung-gu Provides Ecological Experience with Children's Garden Creation
[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] The Bang Jeong-hwan Education Support Center in Jungnang-gu will celebrate its first anniversary on May 4.
The center has established itself as a landmark driving regional educational development, achieving a cumulative annual visitor count of 40,000 and playing a vital role as a cradle of local education. It offers customized education programs covering all age groups, from the youngest 5-year-old students to the oldest 76-year-old participants.
Since its opening, 26,594 people have participated in 927 educational programs, with a satisfaction survey showing about 91% high satisfaction. A child who attended the "Happy Reading" program described the center as "a place like a best friend with many fun and enjoyable programs."
The Jungnang-gu Bang Jeong-hwan Education Support Center was opened last May in Mangwoo History and Culture Park to carry on the legacy of Sofa Bang Jeong-hwan, who rests there. Alongside the center, the district operates various educational support projects based on the teacher's educational philosophy and ideals to enhance local children's academic skills and help students realize their dreams.
First, the district allocated 8 billion KRW for educational expenses, focusing on supporting curricula to improve basic academic skills, remodeling school libraries, improving school environments, operating special after-school classes, and conducting COVID-19 related projects.
The pre-school "Read 1,000 Books Before School" project, which helps infants and toddlers develop reading habits, is actively conducted at public libraries. Various linked reading culture programs have received enthusiastic responses.
Additionally, the district is expanding public libraries throughout the area to ensure that anyone can easily access a library within a 10-minute walk.
Meanwhile, reflecting on the past year, the district will hold celebratory performances and experiential programs over two days, May 4 and 5, to make the 100th Children's Day meaningful for local children.
The event on May 4 will begin with the reading of the Children's Declaration, followed by celebratory performances including choir and children's song plays, and various experiential programs, promising a rich array of sights and activities.
Jongno-gu will operate a variety of reading culture programs at the Children's and Youth National Studies Library from April 30 to May 8 in celebration of Family Month in May.
Marking the meaningful 100th anniversary of Sofa Bang Jeong-hwan's proclamation of Children's Day, the programs are designed as special lectures, exploration programs, and events for the whole family to enjoy together.
First, under the title "Jongno Exploration with Children," two exploration programs, "Footsteps of the Independence Movement" and "Footsteps of the Hangul Guardians," have been prepared.
The "Footsteps of the Independence Movement," held on April 30 and May 1, will tour various local sites including Donuimun Museum Village, tracing the footsteps of Bang Jeong-hwan left in Jongno. The "Footsteps of the Hangul Guardians," held on May 7 and 8, involves walking along the Hangul Gaon-gil near Gwanghwamun, participating in activities such as finding hidden Hangul pictures and writing postcards to teachers.
On May 7, the special lecture "Bang Jeong-hwan and Children" will provide an in-depth look at Bang Jeong-hwan's life and the declaration of children's liberation. On the same day, participants can also experience the "Children's Grand Sports Day Malpan" game created by Bang Jeong-hwan over 90 years ago on the library rooftop.
On May 6, author Han Jeong-ju, an active historical critic, will give a special lecture for adults titled "Virtuous Wife and Wise Mother Shin Saimdang and Scholar Yi Yulgok," exploring the lives of Shin Saimdang and Yulgok and offering insights into family values.
Additionally, the Children's and Youth National Studies Library will set up a photo zone with Polaroid photography events and lend out the "Children's Grand Sports Day Malpan" game.
Participation in the programs can be registered by accessing the QR code on the poster or by phone. For further inquiries, contact the Children's and Youth National Studies Library.
Opened in 2018, the Children's and Youth National Studies Library is the nation's first national studies-specialized library for children. It was established in Myeongnyun-dong, where the historically educational Sungkyunkwan is located, to enhance understanding of traditional culture and instill a proper historical consciousness.
A district official said, "To mark the 100th anniversary of Children's Day, we have prepared various lectures and explorations to learn about Sofa Bang Jeong-hwan. We hope families enjoy the Family Month events organized by the Children's and Youth National Studies Library and have a joyful and meaningful time."
Yeongdeungpo-gu will hold the event "知彼知己(Knowing Others and Oneself) leads to 百年偕老(Living Together for a Hundred Years)" in May to commemorate "Couple's Day," aiming to deepen understanding between spouses and remind them of each other's importance.
The district planned this event to celebrate Couple's Day on May 21, symbolizing two (2) becoming one (1), by helping spouses understand each other's personalities and psychology and providing a special event that fosters communication and empathy, creating unforgettable memories.
The event will take place on May 14 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the auditorium on the 5th floor of the Yeongdeungpo-gu Office annex and nearby Seonyudo Park. It will involve 15 couples (30 people) married for seven years or less, featuring ▲MBTI testing and conflict resolution methods led by experts, ▲personalized perfume making to find scents that suit each spouse and empathize with each other's emotions, and ▲a "couple outing" time to freely talk and stroll in Seonyudo Park. Picnic mats, fresh flowers, sandwiches, and refreshments will be provided free of charge during the outing.
All activities are fully free, and applications can be made via the QR code on the poster posted on the Yeongdeungpo-gu website or the Yeongdeungpo-gu Family Center website, which is the event organizer.
Since the program focuses on improving marital relationships, children cannot participate. All activities will be conducted with COVID-19 prevention measures as the top priority.
For further inquiries about the Couple's Day event, contact the Yeongdeungpo-gu Office Child and Youth Welfare Division or the Yeongdeungpo-gu Family Center for detailed information.
A district official said, "We hope this event rekindles marital love and provides time to deeply understand and empathize with each other. We will continue to do our best to establish family welfare and care systems so couples can maintain healthy relationships for a hundred years."
Dobong-gu (Mayor Lee Dong-jin) will renovate the lighting along the Jungnangcheon walking trail starting in May to provide a safe walking path for residents.
Since November 2021, Dobong-gu has newly installed 153 river-specific security lights over approximately 4 km from Nowon Bridge to Nokcheon Bridge along Jungnangcheon. Including the existing 115 security lights, a total of 268 security lights are now fully installed.
Additionally, to address the previous issue of dim lighting due to wide spacing, the new security lights have been positioned to shine directly along the walking path, allowing residents to walk brightly even at night.
Starting in May, to save energy, a dimming system will be operated that maintains 55% brightness during late-night hours with fewer users, from midnight to lights-off time.
Dimming refers to adjusting lamp brightness to create a comfortable environment, reduce glare, produce a pleasant atmosphere, and save energy, thereby improving lighting quality.
The approximately 4 km stretch from Nowon Bridge to Nokcheon Bridge along Jungnangcheon in Dobong-gu is the longest distance in the country equipped with a river security light dimming system.
With this dimming system, the district expects to save about 1.3 million KRW annually in electricity bills and reduce 5.7 tons of carbon dioxide emissions. In case of malfunctions such as partial lighting failures, responsible officials can check in real-time via an app, enabling prompt response to complaints.
Mayor Lee Dong-jin of Dobong-gu stated, "We have actively improved the environment to make Jungnangcheon, which many residents use for commuting and walking, more pleasant and safe at night. We will continue to gradually expand the installation of eco-friendly LED lighting to create safe routes home."
Dongdaemun-gu (Mayor Yoo Deok-yeol) has secured a total budget of 14.5 million KRW by applying for the Seoul Volunteer Center's joint operation support project "Volunteering by My Side" and the Korea Central Volunteer Center's "2022 Regional Customized Well-being Campaign Contest."
"Volunteering by My Side" and the "2022 Regional Customized Well-being Campaign Contest" are projects centered on volunteer camps that aim to restore neighborly relationships weakened by COVID-19 social distancing and support volunteer activities involving local residents, thereby strengthening volunteer networks and revitalizing care and volunteer work for vulnerable groups.
Using the secured budget, the district plans to carry out various activities from June onward after preparation in April and May, including ▲continuous welfare beneficiary check-in services by camp activists, ▲food-sharing events such as side dishes and bread with welfare beneficiaries, ▲birthday celebrations for elderly living alone in the community, and ▲regular plogging activities for environmental cleanup and health management, tailored to each camp's characteristics.
Notably, this volunteer activity is especially meaningful as welfare beneficiaries, who were recipients of volunteer services, will participate as volunteers themselves. It is expected to help improve the quality of life for welfare beneficiaries by alleviating social isolation and providing a sense of accomplishment through volunteering.
A district official said, "As COVID-19 prolongs, many neighbors suffer from social disconnection and loneliness. We will strive to promote volunteer activities that provide practical help to them, establish a warm community care culture, and strengthen volunteer capabilities."
Jung-gu, Seoul, has initiated the creation of "Children's Gardens" to provide ecological experience opportunities for children whose outdoor activities have been limited due to COVID-19.
The "Children's Garden" is an experiential garden created in leftover spaces at local daycare centers and kindergartens.
This month, the district established children's gardens at seven locations, including Cheonggu Daycare Center, and provided seedlings such as cherry tomatoes, peppers, and lettuce. Children will observe and experience the process of how garden crops reach our tables through urban agriculture education programs. By cultivating and harvesting crops themselves, they learn the value of food and develop emotional growth.
Jung-gu is expanding the base of urban agriculture by creating urban gardens at schools and welfare facilities and distributing box gardens so residents can experience agricultural activities close to their living areas.
School gardens have been established at Sindang Elementary and Heungin Elementary Schools, where students can cultivate sensitivity and foster an eco-friendly mindset through ecological experiences.
To help seniors find vitality in their leisure time, a "Healing Garden" has been set up at Jungnim Senior Daycare Center. An 81㎡ rooftop garden created at Cheonggu-dong Cultural Square will be leased to residents to provide urban agriculture experience opportunities.
Additionally, 850 box gardens have been distributed so residents can easily grow crops in their living spaces and naturally enter urban agriculture.
A district official said, "Urban agriculture not only offers the joy of harvesting crops grown by hand but also raises awareness of ecology and the environment. We plan to increase the number of small urban gardens so more residents can take interest and participate."
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