[Seoul District News] Gangnam-gu Implements Artistic Designs on Construction Site Temporary Fences from Sept 1-20 to Realize Art City Gangnam ... Jungnang-gu Operates Mobile Picture Book Library ... Eunpyeong-gu Opens Public Recruitment for 2022 Community-Led Youth New Job Creation Project ... Gangseo-gu Hosts Virtual Tour Using 'Metaverse Community Center No.1' ... Gwanak-gu Provides Smart City Capacity Building Resident Education ... Dongdaemun-gu Conducts Comprehensive Safety Inspections Including Structural Safety and Compliance with Safety Regulations through Public-Private Cooperation until Oct 14
[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Gangnam-gu (District Mayor Jo Seong-myeong) is recruiting design works for temporary construction site fences through the ‘2022 Green Smart Canvas Young Artist Contest’ from September 1 to 20.
The ‘2022 Green Smart Canvas Young Artist Contest’ is part of a local design project aimed at creating aesthetically outstanding urban landscapes by applying new and diverse designs by young artists to temporary construction site fences and barriers.
Eligibility for application is domestic resident artists aged 19 to under 39 as of the announcement date. Submitted works during the recruitment period will be evaluated by a separate judging committee based on creativity, applicability, fairness, and other comprehensive criteria to select winning works. The 30 selected young artists will each receive 2 million KRW for design production costs and 200,000 KRW for design draft usage costs. An awards ceremony with minimal participants will be held later in compliance with quarantine guidelines.
Entries can be submitted via email to the Gangnam-gu Office Architecture Department, and detailed information including submission materials can be found on the Gangnam-gu website.
Jo Seong-myeong, Mayor of Gangnam-gu, stated, “Through this contest, the temporary fences and barriers at construction sites will transform into canvases for talented young artists, revitalizing the urban area. We will realize Gangnam-gu as a cultural and artistic city where residents walking around construction sites can enjoy fun and innovative ideas.”
Jungnang-gu (District Mayor Ryu Gyeong-gi) is operating the ‘Visiting Picture Book Library’ program for local early childhood education institutions.
The ‘Visiting Picture Book Library’ is a class designed to help young children become familiar with books and develop reading habits, linked to Jungnang-gu’s representative reading culture program ‘Reading 1,000 Books Before School.’
The program runs 30 sessions from September 13 to November 17. A picture book specialist instructor will visit kindergartens directly to conduct about one hour of book play and storytelling classes using picture books. Book play is an art-based post-reading activity for young children, where recommended books from ‘Reading 1,000 Books Before School’ are read together, followed by making, drawing, and physical play to foster a love for books.
Applications are open to institutions currently participating in ‘Reading 1,000 Books Before School.’ Applications are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis by date and can be submitted via the Jungnang Forest Children’s Library website.
Ryu Gyeong-gi, Mayor of Jungnang-gu, said, “We hope this program will be an opportunity for children to become closer to books. We will continue to plan and operate various programs suitable for each age group to promote reading culture in the region.”
‘Reading 1,000 Books Before School’ is the district’s flagship reading program that helps form reading habits by having children read 1,000 books over three years during the critical brain development period of early childhood. Parents can also participate, which has received strong support from residents. As of the end of July 2022, a total of 8,376 children have participated in the program.
Eunpyeong-gu (District Mayor Kim Mi-kyung) is publicly recruiting for the ‘2022 5th Ministry of the Interior and Safety Regional-Led Youth Jobs’ to alleviate youth unemployment. This recruitment will hire a total of three young people across three fields.
The regional-led youth job project discovers and provides suitable local jobs for youth, supports economic activities and job competency enhancement, and plans and offers various services needed by the community as youth jobs. This year, jobs linked to regional specialization, social economy, and community contribution are being recruited to create a foundation for mutual growth between the region and youth.
Applicants must be youth job seekers aged 19 to 39 as of January 1, 2022, with priority given to residents of Eunpyeong-gu. Applicants can choose their desired field considering their major and career aspirations.
The application period is until 6 PM on September 6. Applications can be submitted in person or by email to the Eunpyeong-gu Social Economy Division. Detailed information is available on the Eunpyeong-gu website’s recruitment announcement page.
Selected youth will work at local companies from September 19 to December 31, 2022. They will receive a salary corresponding to the 2022 Eunpyeong-gu living wage, four major social insurances, and job competency training support.
Kim Mi-kyung, Mayor of Eunpyeong-gu, said, “In the difficult employment environment due to prolonged COVID-19 and economic downturn, this is a great opportunity for youth to gain work experience and strengthen their capabilities. We hope many local youth will show interest and participate.”
Gangseo-gu, Seoul (District Mayor Kim Tae-woo) is embarking on a virtual European tour with elementary school students.
The district announced it is recruiting participants for the metaverse community center’s first branch experience program, ‘Virtual European Travel.’
The ‘Metaverse Community Center 1st Branch,’ modeled on the exterior of the new Gangseo-gu Office building and featuring classrooms, multipurpose rooms, and a video hall, was opened in June to enhance residents’ digital capabilities and facilitate interactive communication.
This program is the first to be held at the ‘Metaverse Community Center 1st Branch’ and aims to stimulate elementary students’ curiosity and broaden their worldview through immersive virtual overseas travel experiences using the metaverse.
The tour, guided by overseas local guides, will virtually visit six cities in six countries including London, UK; Barcelona, Spain; and Prague, Czech Republic, allowing participants to experience the history and culture of various countries.
The tour runs every weekend from September 3 to 25. Participants can access the Metaverse Community Center (Gather Town) 1st Branch via PC or laptop and watch in real time.
The participation fee is 3,000 KRW. Each of the 20 neighborhood community centers in the district will recruit 10 elementary students, totaling 200 participants.
Applications can be made by visiting or calling the respective neighborhood community centers.
More detailed information including application schedules by neighborhood can be found on the ‘Gangseo-gu Community Center Website’ under ‘Community Center News.’
A district official said, “It will be a special experience to stroll through world-renowned cities like London, Paris, and Prague. We will continue to prepare various healing programs for residents who have been constrained by COVID-19.”
The district plans to utilize the Metaverse Community Center 1st Branch for resident autonomy meetings and various non-face-to-face neighborhood events.
Gwanak-gu (District Mayor Park Jun-hee) is conducting the ‘2022 Gwanak-gu Smart City Capacity Building Resident Education’ to secure competitiveness for smart city development and enhance future-oriented capabilities in the rapidly changing Fourth Industrial Revolution era.
The district provides an opportunity to understand smart cities, where digital and smart technologies are deeply integrated into residents’ daily lives, and to respond to changing times.
The education will be held free of charge for about 20 residents in a small conference room on the 5th floor of Gwanak-gu Office every Thursday for three weeks from September 8 to 22.
Lectures by smart city experts will cover topics such as “What is a Smart City?”, “Understanding Smart Cities through Cases,” and “Resident Participation and Gwanak-type Smart City Living Lab,” focusing on everyday smart city examples.
It will also explain changes and characteristics in our lives brought by the Fourth Industrial Revolution and technological advances through easy and interesting examples, providing correct perspectives and coping methods.
Especially, through participation and practice in the smart city living lab, residents will realize the importance of participation in smart city projects solving local issues and increase understanding and interest in future Gwanak-gu projects and policies.
Residents of Gwanak-gu, as well as organizations, workers, and students located in Gwanak-gu, can participate by applying online through the Gwanak-gu website’s lecture/event reservation page.
Meanwhile, the district has established the ‘Gwanak-gu Smart City 5-Year Plan’ tailored to the era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution and local characteristics to secure competitiveness as a smart city and improve residents’ quality of life, accelerating project implementation.
Under the vision of ‘Every Smart City Gwanak, Everyone Participates and Enjoys Together,’ the district plans to invest a total budget of 35.4 billion KRW by 2026 to progressively implement 30 detailed projects aiming for ‘hyper-connected open smart city,’ ‘sustainable smart city where everyone is happy,’ and ‘resident-participatory smart city 365 days a year.’
Park Jun-hee, Mayor of Gwanak-gu, said, “This education was held to increase resident participation, the most important success factor for smart city development, and to strengthen capabilities. We will continue to do our best to create a smart city Gwanak that solves local problems together with residents through various programs.”
Dongdaemun-gu (District Mayor Lee Pil-hyung) is conducting the ‘2022 Intensive Safety Inspection’ until October 14 to eliminate safety blind spots.
The intensive safety inspection is a preventive activity involving central government ministries, local governments, public institutions, private experts, and residents to inspect and improve safety management across society’s facilities and buildings. Since it targets the entire public and private sectors, the inspection covers not only structural safety but also compliance with safety regulations.
Before the full inspection begins, the district operated a ‘Resident Application System for Inspection Facilities.’ This system accepts applications for facilities residents believe need inspection, conducts inspections, and shares the results. Applications were accepted until the 16th.
The inspection targets include 72 sites in the building facilities sector (general and aging buildings, public offices, etc.), 5 sites in the living and leisure sector (libraries, etc.), 1 site in the transportation facilities sector (railway crossing bridges), 10 sites in the industrial and construction sector (new construction and demolition sites, etc.), 5 sites in the health, welfare, and food sector (welfare facilities, etc.), and 23 sites in other sectors (traditional markets, steep slope retaining walls, etc.), totaling about 116 sites across six sectors.
The district forms joint inspection teams with private experts and related organizations for risky facilities and detailed inspections, conducting professional inspections. Facilities and buildings with identified issues will be continuously supervised and inspected until corrective actions are completed to eliminate hazards.
Additionally, the district actively promotes the inspection through newsletters and social media to increase private participation and has made self-inspection checklists available at community centers for residents to conduct their own safety checks. The checklists can also be found on the Safety Report website.
Shin Young-hwan, Director of the Safety and Disaster Division, said, “This safety inspection is conducted nationwide to create a safe Korea, so we will work together with residents to quickly eliminate hazards. We will also thoroughly inspect multi-use facilities in the district in parallel with safety inspections conducted in preparation for Chuseok to make Dongdaemun-gu a safe place to live.”
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