Geumcheon-gu Announces Open Recruitment for Tongtong Hope Naraedan

[Seoul District News] Geumcheon-gu Opens Public Recruitment for 6 Members of Tongtong Hope Naraedan from May 30 to June 10; Apply at District Office Welfare Policy Division (7th Floor) or Local Community Centers... Dongdaemun Cultural Foundation Operates ‘Dongdaemun-gu Themed Tourist Courses’... Eunpyeong-gu Recruits Members for 2022 Eunpyeong-gu Community Choir... Gangseo-gu Launches ‘Intensive Pest-Borne Disease Prevention Activities’... Gangnam-gu Opens Registration for 2nd Quarter Gangnam Lifelong Learning Programs... Yangcheon-gu Runs Mental Health Screening and Counseling Support Project

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Geumcheon-gu is publicly recruiting the ‘Tongtong Hope Naraedan,’ a group that cares for neighbors with warm hearts, from May 30 to June 10.

The Tongtong Hope Naraedan refers to local welfare leaders who check on neighbors in need at the frontline of welfare, discover and connect local private resources, and identify welfare blind spots to care for vulnerable groups.

The total number of recruits is six, distributed by neighborhood as follows: ▲1 person in Gasan-dong ▲2 people in Doksan 3-dong ▲3 people in Siheung 1-dong.

Applicants must meet all three qualifications as of the announcement date (May 30, 2022): ▲reside in the desired neighborhood according to resident registration ▲have continuously lived in Geumcheon-gu for more than three years ▲be familiar with local circumstances and enthusiastic about volunteering and welfare promotion. Additional points are given to those with volunteer experience or work experience in social welfare institutions or facilities within the last three years. However, those who have previously participated in the Tongtong Hope Naraedan and completed a six-year term must wait two years after their activity before reapplying.

Residents wishing to participate can download the application form from the ‘Notices & Announcements’ section on the Geumcheon-gu Office website, fill it out, and submit it along with the required documents in person to the Welfare Policy Division on the 7th floor of Geumcheon-gu Office or their local community service center.

Geumcheon-gu will conduct a first-round document screening and a second-round interview to select the final candidates, which will be posted on the district office website on June 24 and notified individually.

Selected residents will begin activities with three members prioritized this year based on interview scores and neighborhood circumstances (including alternates and vacancies). The remaining members will be selected as alternates and will participate if current members complete their terms or resign. Activities are conducted three days a week for four hours per day, with a monthly allowance of 250,000 KRW to cover minimal expenses such as transportation, supplies, and phone charges.

Kim Eun-joo, Director of the Welfare Policy Division, said, “The Tongtong Hope Naraedan is the core of Geumcheon-gu’s welfare delivery system, leading by example at the frontline of welfare to provide care to local residents. We hope many people interested in creating a ‘resident-led care system’ where no one is left behind will participate actively.”

Dongdaemun-gu (Mayor Yoo Deok-yeol) announced that the Dongdaemun Cultural Foundation will operate the ‘Dongdaemun-gu Themed Tourist Courses,’ which allow visitors to tour major local tourist attractions on foot with professional guides.

The tours select historical and cultural sites in Dongdaemun-gu and operate six courses: ▲Jegi-dong Walking Trail ▲Urban Walking Trail ▲Hongneung Story ▲Pungmul Journey ▲Memory Outing ▲Jungnangcheon Riverside Travel (non-face-to-face self-guided course).

The Jegi-dong Walking Trail starts at Seonnongdan, where rituals praying for a bountiful harvest were held, visits Jegi-dong Cathedral (a Seoul Future Heritage site), the commercial hanok cluster in Jegi-dong, and then the Seoul Yakryeong Market and Korean Medicine Museum, offering a course to experience history and health together. The Hongneung Story course revisits the era of the Korean Empire through Seoul Yeonghwiwon, Sunginwon, Eojeong, and Empress Myeongseong’s tomb site, while also enjoying the nature of Hongneung Forest.

Additionally, the Memory Outing course includes the history of Seoul National University of Science and Technology and its designation as a Seoul Future Heritage site, visits to the Gyeongnong Hall and Jajakmaru at Seoul National University of Science and Technology, the site of Hwikyungwon within Hwikyung Middle School, Su-bin Park (the birth mother of King Sunjo), Baebongsan Trail, and explanations about fortresses.

The courses operate until July in the first half of the year and from September to November 6 in the second half, every Saturday and Sunday at 10 a.m. The duration is about two hours, and any interested adult can apply for free through the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s public reservation service. For more details, contact the Dongdaemun Cultural Foundation’s Cultural Business Team.

Through this program, the Dongdaemun Cultural Foundation plans to widely promote Dongdaemun-gu’s historical and cultural landmarks and expand its scope to contribute to local economic revitalization through diversification of cultural content.

Eunpyeong-gu announced that it will recruit accompanists and new members to join the Eunpyeong-gu Municipal Choir, the district’s representative cultural delegation, from May 30 to June 20.

Applicants must be women residing in Eunpyeong-gu who are interested in volunteer activities through music and have a talent for singing.

They are recruiting two principal (paid) members majoring in vocal music and about ten general members. Principal members (mezzo-soprano, soprano) can apply even if they do not reside in Eunpyeong-gu.

Applications can be submitted by email or directly to the Culture and Tourism Division of the district office, including the application form, resume, and all required documents.

Selection will be made through a first-round document screening and a second-round practical and interview evaluation for applicants who have submitted their applications. The plan is to select members who will actively participate in choir activities.

The municipal choir holds regular rehearsals every Monday and Tuesday (1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.) at the Eunpyeong Culture and Arts Center, with special rehearsals conducted separately for performances.

The Eunpyeong-gu Municipal Choir contributes to residents’ emotional cultivation, harmony, and the development of local culture. It participates in various events such as congratulatory performances at Eunpyeong-gu events, municipal choir competitions, and regular concerts, maintaining steady activity.

Gangseo-gu, Seoul (Mayor Noh Hyun-song) announced that it will conduct intensive pest control activities from this month until October to prevent various infectious diseases such as malaria caused by summer pests.

This is because the number of pests that transmit various diseases is expected to increase due to rising temperatures as summer approaches.

To this end, the district has formed its own health center pest control task force and will carry out focused pest control activities in vulnerable areas, complaint sites, and major habitats of harmful pests such as mosquitoes through close cooperation with private organizations such as the Saemaul Pest Control Volunteer Corps and the Local Autonomous Disaster Prevention Group.

First, the district will regularly conduct fogging and other pest control activities in major pest habitats such as retention basins, waste disposal sites, sewers, and mountain areas, and strengthen pest control management in vulnerable areas such as welfare facilities and senior centers.

Additionally, a pest control immediate response team has been formed to respond promptly to residents’ pest control requests. Furthermore, with the recent full lifting of social distancing and increased outdoor activities, seven automatic pest repellent dispensers and 30 pest-attracting insecticides will be operated mainly in neighborhood parks and walking trails frequently visited by residents.

Along with this, the district will also conduct pest control activities through public-private cooperation. About 70 members of the Saemaul Pest Control Volunteer Corps and about 60 members of the Local Autonomous Disaster Prevention Group, composed of local residents, will participate in neighborhood pest control teams and begin full-scale pest control activities.

Pest control activities will be conducted at least once a week, targeting vulnerable and complaint areas with fogging and spraying. Especially for urban pests, which mainly breed in stagnant water, pest control will focus on sewer manholes, rainwater drains, and areas around waste accumulation sites.

Moreover, the district supports self-pest control so residents can participate directly in mosquito and pest control.

The district is divided into four zones, and it circulates through each zone to provide free inspection and repair of old and broken pest control equipment owned by individuals, as well as free rental services of portable manual sprayers and insecticides.

The free rental service is available to any Gangseo-gu resident who applies to the Gangseo-gu Health Center. The rental period is three days and can be extended once.

Gangnam-gu is recruiting adult learners to participate in the ‘2022 2nd Quarter Gangnam-gu Lifelong Learning Center Programs’ starting in June from May 27 to June 9 through the ‘Gangnam Lifelong Learning’ website.

Gangnam-gu has opened about 90 educational programs for adults of all ages at two lifelong learning centers in Irwon-dong and Gaepo-dong. Anyone, not just residents, can participate. Enrollment is on a first-come, first-served basis with about 15 participants per course (varies by course). The education period is six weeks from June 13 to July 22.

At the Irwon Lifelong Learning Center, lifelong learning courses reflecting trends include ‘Mastering Film Production with Just a Smartphone,’ ‘Golden Art Psychological Counseling,’ ‘Blog Marketing Expert Course,’ ‘Drama Script Writing Class,’ and ‘Pet Sitter Training Course.’

At the Gaepo Lifelong Learning Center, cooking, humanities, and cultural arts programs such as ‘My Favorite Dessert,’ ‘Raising My Child’s Presentation Skills to the Max,’ and ‘Portrait Caricature’ are offered. Additionally, one-day cooking classes are separately operated with lessons on ‘Making Pet Food,’ ‘Brewing Traditional Handmade Liquor,’ and ‘Recipes for Working Moms and Solo Diners.’

The tuition fee is 36,000 KRW per course, and one-day cooking classes cost 6,000 KRW per session (materials fee separate). For more details, contact the Education Support Division of Gangnam-gu Office.

Yangcheon-gu has launched a mental health screening and counseling support project to protect the precious mental health of residents experiencing psychological difficulties.

This project provides screening and counseling cost support for residents suffering from severe stress, depression, and other issues. It is a counseling cost support service, not a medication cost support service, so if only screening and counseling are received without medication, it will not be recorded as psychiatric treatment.

The service is available to residents aged 19 or older with an address in Seoul who consent to participate. However, it is limited to first-time patients; those currently undergoing psychiatric treatment or taking medication at the time of visit, or those who have participated in this project within the past year, are excluded.

Residents wishing to receive screening and counseling must make an appointment in advance at one of seven designated psychiatric medical institutions in the area and visit with identification. After screening and counseling, the health center will support up to 80,000 KRW per person per year for up to three visits for co-payments at the medical institution.

If professional treatment (including medication) is needed after using this service, patients can switch to general treatment and receive paid care. The district plans to encourage continuous treatment by linking high-risk groups requiring treatment after free counseling supported by mental health screening fees to the Yangcheon-gu Health and Welfare Center for case management.