Opening of Gangnam Future Education Center · Seongbuk Women's Employment Education Center

[Seoul District News] Gangnam-gu Opens First Local Government Space Experience Content on 14th with Seoul National University Professors' Educational Program... Seongbuk-gu Establishes Seongbuk Women's Employment Education Center with Counseling, Lounge, Classrooms, Computer and Cooking Rooms at 17 Hoegi-ro 3-gil, Jongam-dong near Korea University Station... Seocho-gu Hosts Economic Expert Lecture on 22nd at District Office Auditorium to Foster Financial Mindset for Middle-aged... Eunpyeong-gu Holds 'Eunpyeong Youth Week' for Youth Day Celebration

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Gangnam-gu (District Mayor Jo Seong-myeong) opened the ‘Gangnam Future Education Center’ on the 14th, where children and adolescents can experience and learn about future technologies in the era of the 4th Industrial Revolution.

In particular, the center’s experience zone offers ‘immersive content’ for the first time among local governments, and the ‘Gangnam Future Talent Education Institute’ within the center operates science education programs developed with direct participation from Seoul National University faculty.

Located on the first floor of the Ilwon Sports Culture Center, the ‘Gangnam Future Education Center’ spans a total area of 1,020㎡ and is operated as an experience zone and an education zone.

In the experience zone, under the theme ‘A Long Journey to Meet the Second Earth’ (Terra Forming Mars), students take on the role of space explorers and perform various missions such as city construction and ecosystem research to build a living environment on Mars. This activity provides a vivid experience by combining immersive content within a space designed to simulate a spaceship.

In the education zone, students can learn about science and technology related to the 4th Industrial Revolution, including AI (Artificial Intelligence), autonomous driving, and drones, through activities such as building autonomous Mars exploration robots and understanding and modeling the principles of the Nuri rocket launch.

The ‘Future Talent Education Center’ is also accessible online. Using Nexon’s ‘MapleStory World,’ a metaverse platform called ‘Gangnam Future Education Center World’ has been established, offering special lectures, career counseling, and virtual schools. On the opening day, the 14th, a metaverse construction agreement ceremony will be held with Nexon Korea (CEO Lee Jung-heon).

The ‘Gangnam Future Talent Education Institute’ operated within the center signed a public-academic business agreement with Seoul National University’s Institute of Education (Director Sung Sang-hwan) and launched its first program, ‘Doing Science, the Gangnam Style,’ on the 3rd, running for a total of four months until December.

‘Doing Science, the Gangnam Style,’ developed with direct participation from Seoul National University’s physics education faculty, graduate students, and science teachers, is an educational course aimed at nurturing creative scientific talents needed for future society. Specifically, it includes ▲ differentiated convergence talent education (STEAM: Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics) ▲ future science education related to the 4th Industrial Revolution such as coding, space, and artificial intelligence ▲ special lectures for students and parents and parent education ▲ teaching methods and teacher training for educators.

The institute recruited local students in July and selected a total of 30 students, 15 from 5th and 6th grades of elementary school and 15 from 1st and 2nd grades of middle school, overcoming a competition ratio of 19.7:1. Classes are held every Saturday for three hours in a project inquiry format.

The ‘Gangnam Future Education Center’ targets elementary, middle, and high school students and also provides education for teachers and parents. It operates by reservation from Tuesday to Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. On weekdays (Tuesday to Friday), group reservations by schools are accepted, and on Saturdays, individual reservations can be made to use the experience zone. Reservations are available from September 20, and detailed information can be found on the Gangnam-gu Office website or by contacting the center.

Jo Seong-myeong, Mayor of Gangnam-gu, said, “Through the Gangnam Future Education Center, I hope students can cultivate curiosity about science and technology, integrative thinking skills, and problem-solving abilities,” adding, “In the 8th term of the civilian administration, Gangnam-gu will do its best to nurture talents who will lead the future and continue the reputation of Gangnam-gu as the number one education district.”

Seongbuk-gu (District Mayor Lee Seung-ro) opened the ‘Seongbuk Women’s Employment Education Center,’ established to develop the vocational skills and expand social participation of women in Seongbuk-gu.

About 40 people, including Lee Seung-ro, Mayor of Seongbuk-gu, Oh Jung-kyun, Chairperson of Seongbuk District Council, Kang Dong-gil, Seoul Metropolitan Council member, and Kim Young-nam, President of the Women’s Central Association, attended to celebrate the opening. A Seongbuk-gu official expressed expectations that the center would become a space that shares and supports women’s dreams and lives.

The Seongbuk Women’s Employment Education Center is located near Korea University Station in Jongam-dong (17 Hoegiro 3-gil, Seongbuk-gu) and consists of two floors: one basement and one above ground. It includes counseling spaces for job consultations, lounges, lecture rooms, computer rooms, cooking classrooms, and rest areas.

For substantial operation, Seongbuk-gu signed a business agreement in August with local women’s job specialized organizations such as the Women’s Central Association and Jeongneung Women’s New Work Center. Seongbuk-gu and these specialized organizations collaborate on planning and operating educational programs, developing career design programs, and providing counseling and linkage support for employment and entrepreneurship.

Lee Seung-ro, Mayor of Seongbuk-gu, stated, “We will do our best to make the Seongbuk Women’s Employment Education Center a space where women in need of jobs can improve their abilities and utilize various systems to leap into employment and entrepreneurship.”

Seocho-gu (District Mayor Jeon Seong-su) announced that it will hold an economic special lecture on the 22nd at the district office’s second-floor auditorium, inviting economic experts to cultivate the economic mindset of the middle-aged generation.

The special lecture, titled ‘Everything about Gifts and Inheritance for Seocho-gu’s Middle-aged Generation,’ will be held for about two hours starting at 2 p.m.

In the first part, economic expert Oh Geon-young will analyze the difficult global economy, including interest rates, exchange rates, and inflation, in an easy-to-understand manner for middle-aged people aged 50 and above who are particularly interested in economics and asset management. Oh Geon-young, Deputy General Manager at Shinhan Bank, is regarded as one of the top macroeconomic experts in Korea.

The second part features a lecture by Shinhan Bank’s professional tax accountant Yoo Byung-chang on ‘Changes in Gifts and Inheritance and Tax-saving Measures in 2023,’ and the third part will have a Q&A session based on questions submitted in advance by participants, addressing the most common concerns about gifts and inheritance in daily life.

The special lecture will be held simultaneously online and offline. The on-site lecture received great response, with 100 pre-registrations completed within two hours through first-come, first-served reservations at the Seocho-gu Nutina-mu Shelter on the 5th. Residents who could not apply for the on-site lecture can attend via the metaverse platform ‘ifland.’

Choi Seon-rye (60, Sinwon-dong), who applied for the lecture, said, “I was curious about the changes in gift and inheritance taxes in 2023, so I applied when I heard about the lecture. I hope more lectures like this will be prepared frequently in the future.”

Meanwhile, the district is conducting various projects to solve concerns about complicated and difficult taxes and to respond wisely in the economic situation. For example, ‘Saturday Free Tax Consultation Day’ is being operated until the end of the year for workers who find it difficult to receive tax consultations on weekdays, and every June, explanatory sessions are held to introduce changes in tax policies such as property tax and capital gains tax.

Jeon Seong-su, Mayor of Seocho-gu, said, “I hope this lecture will help the middle-aged generation, who are struggling with asset management due to changing global economic conditions and systems, in their second act of life.”

Eunpyeong-gu (District Mayor Kim Mi-kyung) will hold the ‘2022 Eunpyeong Youth Week Event’ from the 17th to the 24th in celebration of Youth Day.

Various events for youth have been prepared to mark Youth Day (the third Saturday of September).

To strengthen employment capabilities, a special youth employment support program will be operated. The venues are divided among the Seoul Youth Center Eunpyeong Orang, Seoul Startup Cafe Eunpyeong Bulgwang Branch, and Bulgwangcheon Media Center.

Starting on the 17th with one-on-one employment counseling, interview image-making, and resume photo shoots, the program continues with a 2022 second half recruitment special lecture on the 20th, new employee practical training on the 21st, and interview image-making and VR virtual interview experience programs on the 24th. Any youth in Eunpyeong-gu can participate through prior registration.

Various events for communication with youth during Youth Week are also prepared at Eunpyeong Orang. On the 17th, ‘Orang Escape,’ a room escape game reborn as a unique escape room of Eunpyeong Orang, will be held, which is popular among youth.

On the 19th, ‘Youth Four Cuts,’ a video version of the popular photo booth among youth, will be held. This is targeted at graduates of the ‘Youth Challenge Support Project,’ a program supporting youth who have given up job searching.

On the 20th, ‘Dining Time’ will be held, where participants share food made from good ingredients and discuss food ingredient recycling.

From the 21st to the 22nd, the ‘Night Goblin Night Market’ will operate, offering delicious food and various games. Participants of the ‘Asset Formation Support Project’ and ‘Youth Governance Project’ are eligible.

On the 23rd, to promote youth’s artistic and cultural life, a magic show called ‘Orang Gala Show’ will be held, which is usually hard to access.

The ‘Fighting Grand Sports Day,’ which will conclude the ‘Eunpyeong Youth Week,’ is a sports event for unity among youth community participants and will be held on the 24th at the Eunpyeong-gu Citizens Sports Center soccer field. The grand sports day consists of events emphasizing cooperation and entertainment rather than individual athletic ability, with detailed information to be disclosed on the day of the event.

For more information about the event, contact the Social Economy Division Youth Support Team or Eunpyeong Orang.

Kim Mi-kyung, Mayor of Eunpyeong-gu, said, “I hope this Youth Week event will enhance youth confidence and activate communication and exchange,” adding, “I expect that increased youth participation will bring healthy energy to the local community.”