Songpa-gu, Construction Site Accident Prevention Campaign and Joint Inspection

[Seoul District News] Songpa-gu Focuses on Preventing Safety Accidents with Joint Inspections of Small and Medium Private Construction Sites on the 19th...
Gwangjin-gu Operates ‘Gwangjin-gu Ombudsman’ to Strengthen Residents' Rights through Resolving Complaints, Improving Unfair Administrative Systems, and Conflict Mediation... Yeongdeungpo-gu Launches Silver Security Guards to Prevent False and Exaggerated Advertising Targeting Seniors... Jongno-gu Supports Air Conditioner Installation for Vulnerable Groups... Jung-gu Provides 4.3 Billion KRW Loan Support from the 3rd Quarter SME Development Fund

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Songpa-gu (District Mayor Seo Gang-seok) will start a disaster prevention and safety culture establishment campaign and joint inspection from the 19th, beginning with small and medium-sized private construction sites in the Seokchon-dong area, to thoroughly prevent serious accidents.

This campaign and joint inspection is a collaboration among four organizations: Songpa-gu Office, Seoul Eastern Branch of the Ministry of Employment and Labor, Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency, and Korea Industrial Safety Association. Since many industrial accident fatalities occur at small and medium-sized construction sites, the campaign aims to raise safety awareness and establish a safety culture at these sites and plans to expand throughout Songpa-gu.

The campaign will guide risk protection measures related to the most vulnerable fall and drop accidents at construction sites, safety gear wearing, safety and health management for summer risk factors such as heat waves, and COVID-19 infection prevention management.

Additionally, the joint safety inspection will use patrol cars to create an atmosphere for preventing safety accidents, distribute technical materials such as construction site accident prevention checklists and heat wave prevention guides, as well as saline glucose, fans, cool scarves, and cool packs, engaging in active activities.

During the campaign and joint inspection, business sites with significantly poor safety management will be selected for future supervision to prevent serious accidents, and intensive supervision and inspections will be conducted.

An Yong-sang, Head of the Disaster Safety Division, stated, “Safety management of small and medium-sized construction sites is essential to reduce fatal accidents,” and added, “As the district mayor, I will fulfill my responsibility to make Songpa a city safe from disasters.”

Gwangjin-gu (District Mayor Kim Kyung-ho) appointed the ‘Gwangjin-gu Ombudsman,’ who finds solutions to civil complaints from the residents’ perspective, and started work at the open civil complaint office in the district office from the 13th.

The Gwangjin-gu Ombudsman is a private expert who fairly and independently improves unreasonable administrative systems and promptly handles grievance complaints.

To operate the ombudsman system, the district publicly recruited qualified experts in various fields such as architects, lawyers, and public officials, and held an appointment ceremony on July 12.

Considering the complaint reception status by field over the past three years, the ombudsman team consists of five members: two in architecture and housing, one in law, and two in administration, with a four-year term.

The appointed ombudsmen work one person per day every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at the open civil complaint office in the Administrative Support Building of the district office, handling tasks such as investigating and processing grievance complaints, investigating and mediating repetitive and chronic complaints, and recommending or expressing opinions when improvements are needed in administrative systems and their operation.

When a complaint is received, it is reviewed through meetings, and the ombudsman directly visits the site and reviews relevant laws to find reasonable solutions within the legal framework to resolve the complaint.

Residents who want to receive help from the ombudsman to resolve grievances caused by illegal or unfair acts of administrative agencies can submit a grievance complaint application form by visit or mail.

Kim Kyung-ho, Mayor of Gwangjin-gu, said, “The ombudsman system will serve as a communication channel to resolve residents’ grievance complaints, providing practical help to residents and enhancing trust and transparency in complaint handling. We will do our best,” and added, “We will continue to listen more to residents’ voices and discover and support various policies to realize a developing Gwangjin through communication with residents.”

Yeongdeungpo-gu (District Mayor Choi Ho-kwon) announced the resumption of the operation of the ‘Silver Security Guard,’ which monitors illegal acts of false and exaggerated food advertisements targeting the elderly and conducts damage prevention publicity and guidance activities at senior centers and welfare centers for the elderly.

The ‘Silver Security Guard’ consists entirely of middle-aged and senior residents aged 60 or older, as they engage in activities to prevent illegal sales targeting the elderly, focusing on monitoring illegal acts and campaigns in areas frequently visited by seniors.

Since the new formation of the Silver Security Guard in 2015, activities have been conducted regularly every year and operated actively, but activities were temporarily suspended from 2020 due to the outbreak and spread of COVID-19. Even with the resumption of operations in July this year, the priority is to prevent infection spread and adhere to quarantine measures during activities.

This year, the Silver Security Guard consists of five members, formed through recommendations from the Korea Senior Citizens Association Yeongdeungpo Branch and applications from volunteers.

They will operate for two years from July, conducting monitoring and guidance inspections in pairs eight times a year, visiting about 100 senior facilities such as senior centers and welfare facilities in the area.

Main activities include continuously collecting false and exaggerated advertisement information from ‘tteotdabang’ (new type of promotional booths) and conducting monthly visits and enlightenment activities at senior facilities to prevent damage from false and exaggerated food advertisements.

Furthermore, violations pointed out as a result of the Silver Security Guard’s activities will be continuously inspected until corrected, and efforts will be made to guide and manage to prevent further damage.

On July 5, an education session on food hygiene and major activities was conducted for the five Silver Security Guards, sharing future monitoring plans and strengthening operational substance.

Lee Seung-jae, Head of the Hygiene Division, said, “Damage caused by illegal sales and false and exaggerated food advertisements targeting the elderly is increasing, so the role of the Silver Security Guard in preemptively inspecting illegal acts is very important,” and added, “We will spare no support and strive to activate operations so that illegal food sales through false and exaggerated advertisements are eradicated through the Silver Security Guard’s efforts.”

Jongno-gu (District Mayor Jung Moon-heon) is gaining positive responses by promoting an air conditioner support project for vulnerable groups to prevent heat-related illnesses during the summer.

The target is 97 households of local basic livelihood security recipients and near-poverty groups who cannot afford to purchase cooling equipment due to economic difficulties.

The district has been striving to protect residents from heat wave damage as much as possible by completing installations from April to June before the full onset of the heat.

The project costs are funded by donations from the Community Chest of Korea.

Additionally, monitoring of the target households will be conducted for two months from July to August. Members of the local community security council visit each household to carefully check whether the air conditioners are working properly, assess satisfaction, and identify any inconveniences, maintaining continuous welfare checks.

Since starting in 2019, a total of 538 households have been able to spend cool summers through the air conditioner support project up to this year.

Residents who benefited this year expressed gratitude, saying, “Every year was tough because of the heat, but now I think I can spend the summer comfortably,” and “I hesitated to install one due to cost, so I’m really thankful for receiving an air conditioner.”

Jongno-gu also works to prevent safety accidents in winter. A representative example is the gas shut-off valve (timer cock) project. A full survey was conducted for all welfare recipients in the district, and installation was completed for about 700 households in February this year.

Jung Moon-heon, Mayor of Jongno-gu, said, “With COVID-19 and heat waves overlapping, the difficulties of residents living in poor housing conditions must be considerable,” and added, “I hope the air conditioner support project, which is steadily carried out every year, helps vulnerable residents have a healthy summer.”

Jung-gu, Seoul (District Mayor Kim Gil-sung) will provide loan support from the third quarter Small and Medium Enterprise Development Fund totaling 4.3 billion KRW to support small businesses and small merchants in the area facing financial difficulties due to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic and economic recession.

The support targets small businesses or small merchants with business locations in Jung-gu, who have been registered in Jung-gu for at least six months as of the application date. Additional points are given to women-owned businesses, social enterprises, and businesses owned by persons with disabilities. However, financial and insurance industries, real estate, healthcare, luxury and speculative businesses are excluded from support, and loans may be restricted due to credit scores, delinquency history, or inability to provide collateral.

The loan conditions are a fixed annual interest rate of 1.2%, with a repayment period of five years, allowing a choice between one-year grace period plus four years of equal installments or five years of equal installments.

The loaned funds must be used only for operational, facility, or technical purposes.

The application limit is up to half of the previous year’s sales, with a maximum of 200 million KRW per company, or up to 300 million KRW for manufacturers. Startups and companies without previous year sales confirmation can apply for up to 30 million KRW.

Applications are accepted until the 29th by visiting the ‘Crisis Small Merchant On-site Reception Center’ on the first floor of the Jung-gu Office main building, submitting required documents including ▲loan application ▲business plan ▲business lease contract ▲VAT taxable standard certificate (2018?2021) ▲copy of business registration certificate ▲other preferential documents. (Contact: Jung-gu Office Traditional Market Division)

The district will finalize support recipients and loan amounts through the operation review committee in August, and after loan screening by banks and guarantee institutions, loans are expected to be provided by the end of August.

For small applications under 30 million KRW, selection is on a first-come, first-served basis, with simplified preliminary screening and immediate notification to financial institutions for loan execution after review.

Kim Gil-sung, Mayor of Jung-gu, said, “We are well aware that many small merchants and small businesses are facing economic difficulties,” and added, “Along with this support, we will make every effort to revitalize the local economy and prepare practical support measures.”