[Seoul District News] Gwanak-gu Invests 19.5 Billion KRW in 2022 for 58 Projects Across 7 Policy Tasks in 6 Areas · Child-Friendly City Advanced Certification: Ongoing Child Survey and Strategy Research · Seongdong-gu Produces and Distributes Food Hygiene Industry Guidebook for Startup Beginners Including Market Research and Tax Education
[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Gwanak-gu (Mayor Park Jun-hee) is accelerating efforts to become a higher-level certified child-friendly city by creating a city where all children can live safe, non-discriminatory, and happy lives.
This year, the district is investing 19.5 billion KRW, an increase of about 2.1 billion KRW compared to the previous year, with the core vision of "Gwanak where children are happy and respected." It has selected seven policy tasks in the areas of ▲play and leisure ▲participation and civic awareness ▲safety and protection ▲health and social services ▲living environment ▲child-friendly infrastructure, implementing a total of 58 projects.
In accordance with UNICEF’s 10 principles of child-friendly cities, the district prioritizes children's participation. In particular, it listens closely to children's voices by reflecting policies proposed by the Child Rights Monitoring Group in district administration.
Among the policies proposed by the Child Rights Monitoring Group, projects such as ‘Creating a Child-Friendly Play Environment in Children's Parks’ and ‘Installing Slow Down Signs Near Playgrounds’ have already been incorporated into district policies. Two other policies, ‘Installing No-Smoking Bells to Introduce Children's Voices’ and ‘Prioritizing Child Protection During Construction Near Schools,’ are planned for introduction, transforming children from mere protection subjects into rights holders.
In response to the increase in child abuse cases, the district has established a child abuse counseling and investigation office within the district office and assigned dedicated personnel to ensure the survival rights of children.
Additionally, to raise awareness of children's rights, the district conducts outreach child rights education for children and local residents. To alleviate the emotional disconnection caused by COVID-19 among children, it is planning a child emotional support program in collaboration with Good Neighbors, Dongjak and Gwanak Education Support Offices.
The district is also steadily promoting the creation of spaces for children, such as the Miracle Children's Playground where kids can run freely, the Gwanak-style Mother Center "I-rang" linked with community childcare sharing centers and open childcare rooms, and the establishment of neighborhood care centers.
Since May, the district has been conducting a ‘Child Status Survey and Child-Friendly City Creation Strategy Establishment Research Project’ to analyze the achievements of the child-friendly city initiative so far and to reset child and youth policy directions and strategic projects tailored to the district’s characteristics.
The child-friendly city survey was completed in June, and in August, the district plans to collect online opinions from children, child-related personnel, and parents. Based on the impact evaluation of the child-friendly city initiative over the past four years, a new child-friendly city creation strategy will be established.
Starting with joining the Child-Friendly Cities Local Government Council in October 2017, the district has created dedicated organizations and enacted ordinances, receiving certification as a ‘Child-Friendly City’ from the UNICEF Korea Committee in March 2020. The district aims to achieve higher-level certification by March 2024, when the current certification period expires.
Mayor Park Jun-hee said, “A city where children are happy will be a city where everyone wants to live.” He added, “We will continue to discover and implement various policies to ensure all children are safe and free from discrimination, and we will do our best to achieve higher-level certification as a child-friendly city.”
Seongdong-gu (Mayor Jung Won-oh) announced that it will produce and distribute a civil service guidebook that allows easy access to information on permits and licenses related to the food hygiene industry, where youth and middle-aged entrepreneurs are increasing.
As of 2020, the domestic food service industry had 800,000 businesses, a 25% increase compared to 600,000 in 2016. In terms of the number of businesses, the food service industry accounts for as much as 13.3% of all industries.
Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the food hygiene-related industry has seen increasing demand due to low entry barriers and the expansion of single-person and dual-income households, leading more people to consider opening restaurants and cafes. However, many face difficulties with various required documents and pre-checks before starting a business.
To address these concerns, Seongdong-gu has produced a guidebook for the food hygiene industry. The guidebook contains essential but often overlooked information for beginners when signing contracts for new business locations, including building usage, introductions to 16 food hygiene-related business types under the Food Sanitation Act, required documents, fees, and other licensing information.
A total of 1,000 copies of the guidebook will be published and distributed to the district office’s first-floor Happy Civil Service Office, local health centers, community service centers, and related institutions, serving as a guide for residents preparing to start businesses.
Additionally, from August, a startup support program for youth will be operated. Youth active in Seongdong-gu can apply through the district website by August 22.
The startup support program will hold a series of lectures covering practical topics necessary for entrepreneurship, from selecting business items to market research, marketing, and tax education. Actual entrepreneurs will be invited to share know-how, and opportunities for one-on-one mentoring by experienced entrepreneurs will be provided to help participants successfully launch their businesses.
Mayor Jung Won-oh of Seongdong-gu said, “In an economic downturn, residents preparing to start businesses find the process unfamiliar and difficult.” He added, “With this food hygiene guidebook and startup support program, we aim to provide comprehensive information on permits and licenses at once, helping novice business owners start their ventures and enabling civil service officers to handle tasks quickly and accurately.”
◆Seoul Gangseo-gu Personnel Announcements
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