Three-Dimensional Reading Method?... Jungnang-gu Operates 'Jungnang Hakdang' to Strengthen Debate Leader Competency

[Seoul District News] Jungnang-gu Teaches Multi-dimensional Reading Through Listening, Speaking, and Summarizing Discussions, Not Just Simple Reading · Online Registration Starts at Jungnang-gu Office Website from 9 AM on the 9th... Songpa-gu Operates VR Travel Experience Zone to Domestic Top Tourist Spots Until December... Mapo-gu Recruiting 7th Youth Musical Group... Seocho-style Shared Daycare Transitions to Face-to-Face Activities to Improve Childcare Quality

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Jungnang-gu will operate the reading club ‘Jungnang Hakdang’ from June to establish a reading culture in daily life.

‘Jungnang Hakdang’ is a program that teaches participants to engage in three-dimensional reading through reading books and sharing opinions with others. It is highly popular as it allows people to enjoy reading deeply together rather than alone.

In the first half of this year, the district will run an introductory course to train reading club leaders. Choi Byung-il, the chief instructor of the reading community ‘Sungnyemun Hakdang,’ will practice reading discussion activities with the students, conducting non-competitive reading discussions that involve not only reading books but also listening, speaking, and summarizing.

Classes will be conducted online via the video conferencing platform Zoom. There will be three sessions?morning, afternoon, and evening?allowing participants to attend at their preferred time.

Any resident interested in reading clubs or discussions can participate in ‘Jungnang Hakdang.’ Registration will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis through the Jungnang-gu Office website starting from the 9th of this month.

An official from the district said, “We hope residents will experience a unique joy through social reading together in ‘Jungnang Hakdang’ this first half of the year,” adding, “We will continue to do our best to create an environment that fosters a reading culture in daily life.”

Songpa-gu is operating the VR tourism video experience zone ‘Experience Korea in Vivid VR’ at the Songpa Tourism Information Center until December, where visitors can explore Korea’s representative tourist destinations in ultra-high definition.

This project was realized after the district proposed the creation of a VR experience zone using immersive content produced by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Tourism Organization. Songpa-gu is the only place nationwide where visitors can embark on VR trips with this content.

‘Experience Korea in Vivid VR’ is an immersive content experience zone created using the latest ICT (Information and Communication Technologies). It offers diverse and vivid video experiences such as ▲‘Songpa Seasonal Attractions Virtual Walking Tour,’ where visitors can experience Songpa’s representative tourist spots like Songpa Dullegil, Olympic Park, and Seokchon Lake through the Internet of Things ▲‘New Media Arts Contents,’ showcasing Korea’s top 100 tourist destinations with stunning graphics ▲‘Play Together in Korea,’ which allows visitors to experience Korean sports and performing arts culture.

Visitors can use the experience zone on a first-come, first-served basis without prior reservation at the Songpa Tourism Information Center located in Seokchon Lake Park from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

An official from the district said, “This will be a great opportunity for residents who have faced restrictions on outdoor activities due to COVID-19 to virtually travel Songpa-gu and domestic tourist spots in ultra-high definition,” adding, “We will continue to develop diverse tourism programs that showcase Songpa-gu’s strength as a smart tourism hub city.”

Mapo-gu announced that it is recruiting members for the ‘Mapo-gu Youth Musical Group,’ which will be active for about seven months from May to November.

The musical group, operated by the Mapo-gu Mangwon Youth Culture Center, provides professional musical education to youth in Mapo-gu and supports cultural and artistic education projects that teach consideration and communication through cooperation among members.

Since its inception in 2016, the musical group has been popular among talented youth, with more than twice the number of applicants as available spots each year. Last year, despite the COVID-19 situation, an online presentation was held, attracting over 2,000 viewers.

This year’s 7th musical group will select 25 youths aged 11 to 13 (grades 4 to 6 in elementary school) who either reside in Mapo-gu or attend schools located in Mapo-gu.

The application period is until the 6th of this month. Applicants can fill out the application form on the Mapo-gu Office website (Mapo-gu Introduction ? Mapo News ? Education Courses) or the Mangwon Youth Culture Center website and submit it via email or in person to the Mapo Youth Culture Center.

Members will be selected through auditions on May 12. Selected youths will start with an orientation on May 19 and receive regular weekly education, culminating in participation in the Mapo-gu Youth Musical Festival in November.

Education will be conducted face-to-face, with online classes also planned considering the COVID-19 situation. For in-person education, the facility will be disinfected, and preventive supplies such as masks, hand sanitizers, and sterilizing wipes will be provided to ensure safe program operation.

For more details, contact the Youth Project Team at the Mangwon Youth Culture Center.

The Seocho-type shared daycare centers, expanded throughout Seoul, are providing customized childcare services in line with the changing childcare environment and demands.

Seocho-gu announced that from this month, following the easing of social distancing, the Seocho-type shared daycare center program will fully transition to face-to-face activities, enhancing specialized projects, parent education, and joint childcare with a more active and meticulous childcare system.

Introduced nationwide for the first time in 2019, the Seocho-type shared daycare centers group 3 to 6 nearby daycare centers?including public, private, and home daycare centers?into one community to reduce waiting lists and address imbalances in childcare supply and demand, thereby improving childcare quality. Currently, 116 centers across 26 zones participate, with 80% of all daycare centers in Seocho-gu operating as shared daycare centers.

Among the representative specialized projects, on the 3rd, the shared daycare centers in the Bangbae 1 and 3-dong zones conducted the ‘Forest Treasure Expedition’ activity. Reflecting the area's abundant forests, about 200 participants from 100 families across four shared daycare centers enjoyed a forest concert, art activities, and treasure hunts, spending time playing in nature and engaging in ecological activities.

Other first-half specialized projects by zone include ▲environmental education and vegetable garden programs in Banpo 3-dong (teacher capacity-building activities) ▲shared sports events in Banpo 1-dong and pottery activities in Yangjae 2-dong (joint childcare) ▲color therapy and picture book lectures for parents in Seocho 3-dong. These projects attracted high participation, with over 3,800 applicants across 26 zones.

Additionally, as part of the shared daycare center project, the district operates an early childhood education environment improvement project. As part of this, the number of daycare centers dedicated to preschoolers has been expanded from two to four since last year. This aims to provide high-quality childcare and educational services, including elementary school preparation activities, responding to parents’ learning demands and preferences for private education institutions in Seocho-gu.

Furthermore, reflecting parents’ needs, the district has been supporting an early childhood education environment improvement fund of 10,000 to 20,000 KRW per child since this year. It is also piloting a smart play environment project at four centers?Seocho Daycare Center, Banpo 1-dong Daycare Center, Foresta 2 Complex Daycare Center, and Banpo Prestige Sky Daycare Center?where children can engage in various smart AI programs such as coding and robotics.

Going forward, the district plans to produce a casebook on Seocho-type shared daycare centers by the end of the year, documenting the progress and various activities to assist parents and young children interested in participating.

Cheon Jeong-wook, Acting Mayor of Seocho-gu, said, “With the easing of social distancing, we can create a more proactive childcare environment,” adding, “This year, we will focus on improving the quality of childcare services to provide satisfaction to parents, teachers, and children alike.”