[Photo] Kim Tae-woo, Mayor of Gangseo-gu, Seoul, "Actively Supporting the Swift Promotion of Moa Town"

[Seoul District News] Seoul Gangseo-gu Holds Service Report Meeting on Maintenance Plans for Hwagok 1-dong Moa Town and Bongjesan Area in Deungchon 2-dong ... Dongdaemun-gu Mayor Ilhyeong Lee Chairs First Expanded Executive Meeting Emphasizing Importance of Compliance with COVID-19 Prevention Rules Amid Reemergence ... Dobong-gu Opens Dobong 1-dong Public Angol Senior Center ... Gangdong-gu Mayor Soohui Lee Requests New Ganghyeon Elementary School in Godeok Gangil 3 District

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Gangseo-gu, Seoul (Mayor Kim Tae-woo) is accelerating reconstruction and redevelopment in the old downtown area with the goal of ‘Magokification of the entire Gangseo area.’

On the 21st, the district held a ‘Hwagog 1-dong Moa Town (Small-scale Housing Maintenance Management Area) Management Plan Establishment Service Kick-off Meeting’ at the district office’s large conference room, attended by Mayor Kim Tae-woo and about 20 project stakeholders.

Participants reviewed the draft management plan and exchanged opinions on ▲ revitalizing living streets such as alley markets ▲ resolving parking issues including illegal parking and stopping ▲ expanding living SOC infrastructure such as roads, parks, and parking lots ▲ and inducing private sector participation.

Based on the review results of the meeting, the district plans to prioritize areas with high project feasibility according to the degree of housing aging and infrastructure conditions to enhance project realization.

Following the Hwagog 1-dong Moa Town management plan report, an interim report meeting on the ‘Maintenance Plan around the Natural Scenic District in the area of 516, Deungchon 2-dong’ was also held.

Because the area around Bongje Mountain belongs to the natural scenic district, maintenance projects that can be carried out are limited. Accordingly, the district plans to analyze the local situation and promote redevelopment, street housing maintenance projects, and small-scale reconstruction by dividing the area into zones where maintenance projects are possible.

In addition, to promote balanced development of the old downtown, the district is analyzing the status of the Hwagog-dong area around Bongje Mountain to select it as a Moa Town target site.

Mayor Kim Tae-woo said, “We will spare no support to ensure that housing maintenance projects proceed swiftly,” and added, “We will do our best to ensure that the Moa Town project, which can effectively improve the residential environment of the old downtown, proceeds without any setbacks.”

Dongdaemun-gu (Mayor Lee Pil-hyung) held the first expanded executive meeting of the 8th elected term on the morning of the 21st at 8:30 a.m. in the 5th-floor Planning Situation Room of the district office, with district and dong-level executives of grade 5 or higher.

During the meeting, they discussed current district issues such as care and safety management for vulnerable groups in preparation for heatwaves and wind and flood disasters, and the 8th elected term’s pledges.

In particular, as the number of COVID-19 confirmed cases doubled within a week?a phenomenon called ‘doubling’?the importance of adhering to quarantine rules in preparation for a COVID-19 resurgence was reemphasized.

Mayor Lee Pil-hyung of Dongdaemun-gu said, “Please strictly follow quarantine rules in preparation for the ‘6th major wave’ of COVID-19. Especially, continuous inspections by relevant departments are necessary for facilities such as nursing homes with many elderly residents, where group infections could lead to severe or critical cases.” He added, “Regarding the 8th elected term pledges, please do your best to establish concrete implementation plans that the residents can empathize with, so that the pledges, which are promises to the residents, can be carried out without any setbacks.”

Eonseok, the mayor of Dobong-gu, is greeting an elderly person at the opening ceremony of the Dobong 1-dong public Angol Senior Center.

Dobong-gu (Mayor Oh Eon-seok) held an opening ceremony on the 20th for the Dobong 1-dong public Angol Senior Center (100-7, Dobong-ro 191-gil). The Angol Senior Center has a total floor area of 147.15㎡ (44.6 pyeong) and is a single-story building.

Mayor Oh Eon-seok of Dobong-gu said, “We have newly constructed the Angol Senior Center for the safety of the elderly and are holding the opening ceremony today. I thank the elderly who patiently waited for the opening due to the construction and COVID-19, and we will carefully monitor the center with related departments to ensure there are no inconveniences in its use.”

Lee Soo-hee, Mayor of Gangdong-gu, strongly demanded that the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education urgently address educational issues such as school facility support at a breakfast meeting held on the morning of the 21st with Seoul’s autonomous district mayors and the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education Superintendent during the 8th elected term.

The demand arises from the increasing need for school facility improvements, while the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education has been insufficient in budget allocation due to budget shortages, leading to a surge in requests for facility improvements from parents and schools to the district office.

Recently, while the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education decided to set aside a significant portion (2.7191 trillion KRW) of the increased education budget from excess tax revenue into various funds, Seoul’s autonomous districts have been supporting frontline schools with budgets ranging from usually 1 to 2 billion KRW, up to a maximum of over 10 billion KRW.

This was pointed out as a problem that not only worsens the financial soundness of autonomous districts with difficult financial conditions but also undermines educational equity among schools and students in Seoul.

In addition to urgent educational issues in Gangdong-gu, such as the establishment of Ganghyeon Elementary School located in the Goduk Gangil 3 District within the Goduk Gangil Public Housing Complex under development in Gangdong-gu, and opening school playgrounds to alleviate the shortage of public sports facilities for Seoul citizens, the mayor also raised local residents’ daily complaints without omission.

Gangdong-gu is currently negotiating with SH regarding the establishment of Ganghyeon Elementary School in Goduk Gangil 3 District and plans to work on improving school routes in the short term so that local students can receive education in a safe and pleasant environment.

Mayor Lee Soo-hee of Gangdong-gu said, “If the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education significantly expands the budget for school facility improvements, Gangdong-gu will focus on school projects related to the 4th industrial revolution and nurturing creative future talents, as well as resident-experienced educational environment improvement projects such as after-school care programs for elementary school children during career interruption crisis periods.”