[Seoul District News] Jongno-gu Completes Okindong Vacant House Demolition Site Village Parking Lot and Changsin-dong Shelter Construction... Eunpyeong-gu Recruits Users for Play Service Vouchers... Jung-gu Provides Up to 1.5 Million KRW Employment Retention Subsidy

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Jongno-gu is promoting a vacant house maintenance project to solve the problem of vacant houses that spoil the urban landscape and cause inconvenience to residents due to safety accident risks and crime concerns.

The focus is on improving the residential environment by demolishing or utilizing neglected vacant houses and transforming them into spaces that pursue public interest, thereby enhancing the quality of life for residents.

Accordingly, a survey was conducted across the entire area from November 2018 to November 2019, and the full-scale project began in March last year, creating resident rest areas and vegetable gardens in Haengchon-dong and Chungshin-dong.

This year, a village parking lot was completed on the vacant house demolition site at 47-12 Okindong, and a rest area construction (photo) was completed on the vacant house demolition site at 595-51 Changsin-dong.

The Okindong village parking lot was reorganized by refurbishing three dangerous remaining fences after the demolition of vacant houses to prevent safety accidents, and the ground was paved with asphalt to enhance user convenience. Considering frequent resident complaints due to poor drainage, a drainage trench was installed, and parking guide signs were placed throughout to ensure anyone passing by can use the parking lot without inconvenience.

The Changsin-dong resident rest area was a place where fires occurred three times due to cigarette butt disposal inside the vacant house. The district completed demolition last year and, in consultation with nearby residents to enhance safety, used natural stone slabs, a fire-safe material, to neatly refurbish the surroundings and created stone benches to provide a small resting place.

Resident responses to this maintenance project have been very positive. Residents living near the demolition sites praised, saying, “We were very worried about the neglected vacant houses next to narrow alleys, but it is helping not only with demolition but also with solving the insufficient parking problem,” and “The space that used to frown upon us has become a rest area shared with neighbors.”

Jongno-gu plans to additionally demolish seven unmanaged vacant houses by the end of this year and create parking lots or rest areas to build a pleasant and safe community.

Eunpyeong-gu is recruiting users for the play service voucher for elementary school students, ‘Playing Eunpyeong, Growing Children,’ until the 26th.

‘Playing Eunpyeong, Growing Children’ is an Eunpyeong-type customized play service implemented as a community service investment project. It was piloted in 2020 through a Ministry of Health and Welfare public contest and was adopted as an official project last year.

The play service can be used four times a month, including three indoor basic play sessions such as board games and sport stacking, and one outdoor experiential play session. Play teams are composed of 6 to 10 children per team, allowing children to enjoy various forms of play content while socializing with peers.

The recruitment target is elementary school children aged 6 to 12. Children and guardians who wish to use the service can apply by visiting their local community service center by the 26th.

Selection results will be notified via text message and mail, and afterward, specific programs will be chosen through consultation with the service provider, and class formation will be conducted.

The usage period is from June to November, with a total of 24 sessions provided at four times per month. The price requires a personal payment of 12,000 to 36,000 KRW per month after receiving government subsidies based on household income.

For other inquiries related to the service, check the district office website or contact the service provider by phone.

A district official said, “We hope children can escape the previously frustrating environment through the play service, play freely, and grow healthily,” adding, “We will continue to take the lead in spreading children’s play culture.”

Jung-gu announced that it will provide support funds of up to 1.5 million KRW to unpaid leave workers and re-startup small business owners who suffered economic damage due to COVID-19 to support employment retention.

The ‘Unpaid Leave Worker Support Fund’ has been implemented since 2020 to support unpaid leave of workers in small businesses with fewer than 50 employees, who are in the blind spots of the government’s employment retention support policy.

The support target is workers in companies with fewer than 50 employees in Jung-gu who have taken unpaid leave for seven or more days per month since April 1, 2021, and must be enrolled in employment insurance. The support amount is 500,000 KRW per month, paid for up to three months.

Meanwhile, the ‘Re-startup Small Business Employment Incentive’ is a support system newly implemented this year for business owners who re-started small businesses after closing due to COVID-19-related management difficulties since 2020 and have newly hired workers this year. Applications can be made after three months have passed since hiring new personnel, and if employment is maintained for three months from the application month, an incentive of 1.5 million KRW per worker will be paid to the business the following month. Support is also available for non-regular workers if they are enrolled in employment insurance.

Applications for support funds can be submitted by visiting the employment stability fund consultation desk on the first floor of Jung-gu Office main building or by submitting required documents via email or fax.

The application period for the unpaid leave employment retention support fund is until June 30, and the re-startup small business employment incentive will be accepted until the budget is exhausted.