Dongjak-gu Expands Public Wi-Fi Service Offering Free Wireless Internet Access Anywhere

[Seoul District News] Dongjak-gu installs 60 public Wi-Fi devices in 39 locations including Sadang 4-dong urban regeneration area, traditional markets, and senior centers; automatic connection by enabling Wi-Fi and selecting SEOUL or PUBLIC on smartphones... Guro-gu conducts emergency drill in civil service office... Yangcheon-gu operates special task force to protect street homeless in summer... Jongno-gu offers lectures on Jeong Yak-yong's prose and poetry covering 'Human Dasan, Joseon Reality, and People's Lives'

Public Wi-Fi in Yongyang Bongjeojeong Park

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Dongjak-gu (Mayor Lee Chang-woo) announced on the 27th that it will expand the provision of wireless internet services by additionally installing public Wi-Fi at major roads and public facilities.

The public Wi-Fi established in the area is installed at 209 locations including ▲bus stops ▲traditional markets ▲welfare facilities, with a total of 455 units.

The district will invest about 600 million KRW to build a 6,700㎡ self-information communication network and install 60 additional Wi-Fi access points (APs) to improve mobile accessibility for residents.

The installation sites were selected focusing on areas with high foot traffic, including ▲Sadang 4-dong urban regeneration zone ▲around Dorimcheon in Sindaebang 1-dong ▲Seongdae Traditional Market, Namseong Sagye Market, Sadang 1-dong Food Alley ▲8 senior citizen centers ▲Sadang Senior Welfare Center ▲Seodalsan Forest Experience Center, totaling 39 locations.

After installing the Wi-Fi, the district plans to complete operational tests of signal transmission equipment and communication lines and officially provide communication services starting in October.

To use the free public Wi-Fi, turn on the Wi-Fi function in your smartphone settings and select ▲SEOUL or ▲PUBLIC to connect automatically without entering a password.

Accordingly, residents can now use wireless internet for free on their smartphones, including internet browsing and video streaming, without worrying about communication fees in the designated areas.

For more details, contact the Future City Division.

Lee Jeong-shim, head of the Future City Division, said, “We hope that the additional installation of public Wi-Fi will reduce communication costs and guarantee information accessibility, thereby increasing convenience for residents. We will also strive to expand service coverage through demand surveys for desired installation areas and facilities, as well as improve quality and maintenance.”

Jongno-gu presents a special time called 'Our Classic Literature Gourmet Meeting' that connects the past and present through reading classical literature.

The program is designed to read major works by Choi Chi-won, Kim Si-seup, Yi Sun-sin, Yoo Man-ju, Jeong Yak-yong, and Park Ji-won together, exploring the historical context and the authors' lives at the time, and further connecting them to our current lives.

Held every Thursday from July 7 to October 20, from 7:30 PM to 9:30 PM, a total of 15 sessions will be conducted with excellent lecturers leading the classes.

Starting with ▲Professor Kim Soo-young from University of Seoul’s ‘Time to Read Choi Chi-won’s Poetry and Prose Together,’ followed by ▲Senior Researcher Kim Ji-yoon from Seoul National University’s ‘Yi Sun-sin’s Heart, Nation, and People,’ ▲Professor Jeong Gil-soo from Seoul National University’s ‘Reading Kim Si-seup’s Geumo Sinhwa as a Critical Intellectual,’ ▲Professor Kim Ha-ra from Jeonju University’s ‘18th Century Joseon, Discovery of the Individual,’ ▲Professor Choi Ji-nyeo from Hongik University’s ‘Human Dasan, Joseon’s Reality, and People’s Lives in Jeong Yak-yong’s Prose and Poetry,’ ▲Professor Kim Dae-jung from Seoul National University’s ‘Yi Ik’s Insight and Worldview,’ and ▲Professor Park Soo-mil from Hanyang University’s ‘Writing Secrets of Joseon’s Bestselling Author Park Ji-won’ will follow.

The program will be held simultaneously offline at Uri Sori Library (Samildae-ro 30-gil 47) and online via Zoom, open to anyone interested. Participation is free of charge.

Applications can be made through the Jongno Cultural Foundation website (www.jfac.or.kr). For elderly or those who have difficulty using the internet, phone applications (☎ 070-4550-5016) are also available.

This lecture series is part of the ‘2022 Reading Academy Public Contest Project’ hosted by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and organized by the Korea Publication Industry Promotion Agency, with Jongno Cultural Foundation selected as the executing institution.

A district official said, “It will be a meaningful time to reflect on oneself through the past. We hope many people interested in reading classical literature will participate.”

Guro-gu (Mayor Lee Sung) conducted a mock drill on the 22nd at the Civil Affairs Passport Division of the district office to improve emergency response capabilities in the civil service office.

Guro-gu announced on the 27th, “We started the first mock drill in 2019 to create a safe working environment in the civil service office and have been conducting it annually.”

This mock drill was prepared to protect public officials from verbal abuse and assault that may occur during civil service interactions and to enhance the ability to respond to secondary damage to surrounding visitors.

The district organized emergency response teams in advance, including reporting, evacuation, security, and rescue teams.

On the day of the drill, civil service officials, security guards, and Guro Police Station officials participated and conducted training simulating actual situations according to manuals prepared for each scenario, including ▲attempting to calm and mediate with the complainant ▲recording verbal abuse ▲calling the ‘112 Safety Emergency Bell’ ▲evacuating the victimized official and visiting complainants ▲police dispatch ▲subduing the offending complainant.

Guro-gu plans to expand the mock drills to 16 community service centers at least once every six months.

In December last year, the district enacted the ‘Ordinance on Protection and Support for Civil Service Officials in Charge of Civil Affairs,’ which came into full effect in January this year. The ordinance stipulates the installation of safety facilities and equipment to prevent verbal and physical abuse by complainants and provides psychological, legal counseling, and medical expense support to affected officials.

Additionally, the district office’s Civil Affairs Passport Division and 16 community service centers operate closed-circuit TVs (CCTV), emergency bells, and telephone recording systems, and transparent partitions have been installed at civil service counters.

A Guro-gu official said, “Regular mock drills are expected to help improve employees’ emergency response capabilities. We will continue to do our best to provide high-quality civil administrative services to residents.”

Yangcheon-gu is operating a special summer task force for homeless people to prevent safety accidents among street homeless individuals exposed to various risks in preparation for the full-scale heatwave season.

The summer homeless special task force, organized in teams of three, will strengthen on-site patrols during vulnerable time periods according to heatwave alert levels during the main promotion period (July 1 to August 31). When homeless patients are found, emergency measures will be taken and they will be transported to hospitals. The task force will also manage high-risk individuals such as those with severe illnesses and elderly homeless people, and oversee food poisoning prevention and hygiene management for group meals at homeless facilities.

The task force has selected major patrol routes in areas with high homeless occurrence, such as parks, subway station surroundings, and under the Anyangcheon Bridge, focusing patrols intensively from 1 PM to 4 PM during vulnerable times. Especially when a heatwave alert is issued, patrols will be intensified to prevent heatstroke and other safety accidents, and flexible operation of cooling shelters will be promoted to encourage their use.

Additionally, the Yeongdeungpo Bohyeon Comprehensive Support Center in Yeongdeungpo-gu has formed a two-person patrol team that will patrol Yangcheon-gu four times a year. Homeless individuals found during patrols will be provided with daily necessities and food and beverages through counseling.

The district will assist homeless individuals with family ties to return home through on-site counseling, and for those without family, actively guide them to apply for welfare benefits and enter one of the three homeless protection facilities in the area.

An official from the Self-Reliance Support Division said, “We plan to strengthen patrols and encourage facility admission to ensure that homeless people on the streets, who are blind spots during the heatwave, do not suffer from the heat, and to provide care and support for socially vulnerable groups.”