Dongdaemun-gu to Develop 'City of Flowers' by the End of 2026

[Seoul District News] Dongdaemun-gu Plants Flowers on Main Streets, Alleys, and Residential Areas & Forms Expert Advisory Group, Conducts Service & Pilot Projects with Partial Flowerbeds Created Last Month & Hires Experts for Professional and Systematic Management of 23,490㎡ Rose Plantings along Jungnangcheon... Gwangjin-gu Supports Up to 100,000 KRW for Exam Fees of All Language Tests Taken in 2022, 544 National Technical Qualification Exams, and Korean History Proficiency Tests for Gwangjin Youth Aged 19-34... Kiturami Group in Seocho-gu

Lee Pil-hyung, Mayor of Dongdaemun District Office, is inspecting the rose flowers planted on the banks of Jungnangcheon.

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Dongdaemun-gu (Mayor Lee Pil-hyung) has declared 2023 as the "City of Flowers" and will promote the "City of Flowers" development project until the end of 2026 to enhance the city's dignity and provide residents with a pleasant life through various flowers and plants.

Until now, flowers and plants were mainly planted in major downtown areas with heavy foot traffic or along arterial roads, but this will be expanded to include tourist districts, depressed commercial areas, and alleys to create a city of flowers.

To actively promote the creation of the City of Flowers, an expert advisory group was formed in September, and this month, a basic plan establishment project will begin. The project, which will continue until February next year, will lay the foundation for selecting the target sites for the City of Flowers project, and based on the results, construction will commence.

Additionally, to spread garden culture in daily life and promote the garden culture industry, an ordinance will be proposed in December, and the City of Flowers (tentative name) will be declared in January 2023.

Before the full-scale project, as a pilot project for the City of Flowers, last month, various eye-catching species with vibrant colors and shapes such as Wave Petunia were planted in hanging flower pots at bus stops on Cheonho-daero, Cheongnyangni overpass, the overpass in front of the community center, and Janghan-ro.

Also, garden mums and spray chrysanthemums symbolizing autumn were planted as the base, along with annual flowers like Angelonia and Poinsettia, in leftover land on Cheonho-daero and the flower beds at the district office. Especially, the leftover land on Cheonho-daero was designed with a mix of perennials and annuals to create a three-dimensional flower bed.

Currently, Dongdaemun-gu's flowers can also be seen along the Jungnangcheon riverside walking trail. Approximately 349,000 rose bushes have bloomed over a 23,490㎡ green area on the riverside, attracting attention. Since 2019, as part of the Jungnangcheon ecological restoration and greening project, the district has been planting and managing roses. To professionally and systematically manage roses year-round as a City of Flowers, the district plans to hire staff and rose specialists with professional knowledge and skills.

Furthermore, continuous technical training on efficient management methods and techniques will be provided to staff and specialists, and tasks such as rooting, pest and disease control, pruning, and mowing will be carried out.

Lee Pil-hyung, Mayor of Dongdaemun-gu, stated, "We are planning various measures to create a vibrant city where people gather on the streets. The creation of the City of Flowers for Dongdaemun-gu, a city with flowers and fragrance throughout the four seasons where people want to walk, is part of that effort." He added, "To create a professional and systematic City of Flowers, we will listen to the opinions of the expert advisory group and carry out a substantial project to achieve good results."

Gwangjin-gu (Mayor Kim Kyung-ho ·photo) is expanding its support for exam fees from language tests to include various national technical qualification exams and the Korean History Proficiency Test to support local youth in their job search activities and alleviate economic burdens.

The district has been supporting language test fees for local youth since early this year.

However, with steep inflation and rising fees for qualification exams necessary for job preparation, the support scope has been promptly expanded to cover not only language tests but also national technical qualification exams and the Korean History Proficiency Test.

The scope of fee support includes all language tests taken in 2022, such as TOEIC, TOEIC Speaking, and OPIc; a total of 544 qualification exams based on the National Technical Qualifications Act; and the Korean History Proficiency Test administered by the National Institute of Korean History, which is used for employment.

The support amount is up to 100,000 KRW per person. The support targets 1,000 youths aged 19 to 34 who meet the following criteria: residents registered in Gwangjin-gu as of the application date, those who took exams in 2022, and those registered for job seeking at the Gwangjin-gu Job Center.

Support will continue until December and applications are accepted at any time. However, support may end early if the budget is exhausted.

Youths wishing to receive exam fee support can apply by submitting via email or visiting the Gwangjin-gu Job Policy Division.

For more details, visit the Gwangjin-gu website or contact the Job Policy Division.

Mayor Kim Kyung-ho of Gwangjin-gu said, "We hope the exam fee support project will be a practical help for the employment of Gwangjin-gu youth," adding, "We will continue to provide diverse support for youth job search activities and job creation."

The district supports youth employment activities through various means such as operating the 'Visiting Employment Counseling Office at Community Service Centers,' the 'AI·VR Video Interview Experience Center,' and hosting 'Online and Offline Job Fairs.'

Seocho-gu (Mayor Jeon Seong-su) signed a business agreement on the 6th to receive a scholarship fund of 50 million KRW from the Kiturami Group to support vulnerable groups and nurture local talent.

The agreement ceremony held at the district office was attended by Mayor Jeon Seong-su, Kiturami Holdings CEO Song Kyung-seok, and other Kiturami Group officials, who exchanged the agreement and took commemorative photos. Over the past 37 years, the Kiturami Group has carried out social contribution projects worth 48 billion KRW, including scholarship support, academic research support, and social welfare facility support.

According to the agreement, the district will identify and recommend scholarship recipients, and the Kiturami Group will provide the scholarships. The support fields include academically excellent students, low-income students, and special talent students who have brought honor to Seocho. A total of 70 high school and university students in the region will be selected.

The district has been conducting youth and adolescent support projects such as 'Seoripul Saem' to resolve educational polarization among vulnerable groups, 'Child Meal Support Project' for low-income households, and 'Blueprint Academy,' a customized social advancement support project for youth.

Mayor Jeon Seong-su said, "We are grateful that the Kiturami Group's goodwill provides students with a great opportunity to pursue their dreams," adding, "We will continue to cooperate with the local community to nurture talent so that youth and adolescents can create their dreams and hopes."

Geumcheon-gu (Mayor Yoo Sung-hoon) held the '26th Senior Citizens Day Commemoration Ceremony and Harmony Festival' at Geumcheon Sports Park at 10 a.m. on the 6th.

The event, themed "Harmony of Communication and Integration," was hosted by the Geumcheon-gu branch of the Korea Senior Citizens Association (Chairman Park Se-gu).

The event began with pre-ceremony congratulatory performances including saxophone performances by seniors from Siheung Senior College and Korean traditional dance, followed by warm-up exercises. Geumcheon-gu awarded commendations to a total of 23 exemplary seniors and contributors to senior welfare.

In the afternoon sports competition, seniors representing 73 senior centers participated as team members in games such as Hangung (Korean archery), gateball, and color board flipping, competing passionately for the honor of their respective senior centers.

Mayor Yoo Sung-hoon of Geumcheon-gu said, "We express our gratitude for the dedication of seniors who contributed to the development of the country and region," adding, "We will do our best to improve welfare, including job creation, so that seniors can enjoy a joyful and healthy old age above all."

Eunpyeong-gu (Mayor Kim Mi-kyung) announced that it held an event on the 30th of last month for local daycare centers to visit a military unit in celebration of Armed Forces Day.

About 500 children from 30 private daycare centers in Eunpyeong-gu visited the 2nd Battalion of the 219th Infantry Brigade, 56th Division in Yangju-si, Gyeonggi-do. The visit was organized to convey the meaning of Armed Forces Day and foster a love for the country among children.

On the day, the children showed great curiosity about the military base they were seeing for the first time. They observed and received explanations about tanks, armored vehicles, rifles, and communication equipment displayed in the parade ground, and also experienced tasting military biscuits and paintball shooting.

One child said, "The soldiers in uniform are really cool. When I grow up, I want to become a great soldier who protects the country."

To ensure a safe and smooth event, six senior safety helpers linked to senior job projects were assigned at the venue. One senior helper said, "It reminded me of my grandson who is in the military. I am grateful to the district officials for providing a job where I can spend time with these cute children."

An Bok-hee, president of the Eunpyeong-gu Private Daycare Center Association, said, "The 219th Infantry Brigade warmly welcomed us. They explained the military equipment at the children's level and provided various experiential activities, making it a good opportunity for the children to naturally learn to love their country," adding, "We sincerely thank them for giving the children such good memories."

Mayor Kim Mi-kyung of Eunpyeong-gu said, "We will continue to prepare various events to create a safe childcare environment where infants, childcare workers, and parents can all be happy."