Guro-gu's Regional Specialized Job Project for Seniors Draws Attention by Utilizing Former Branch Manager Financial and Economic Lecturers

[Seoul District News] Guro-gu Selects 5 Expert Instructors for ‘Visiting Life Economy and Finance Education’ Targeting Middle-Aged Retirees from Financial Sector & Establishes Foundation for Expert Instructor Activities & Recruiting Participating Institutions Until December ... Gwangjin-gu Receives Minister of SMEs and Startups Award for Revitalizing Traditional Markets and Shopping Districts in 2022 ... Seocho-gu Provides 1:1 Local Tax Mentoring for Newly Established Corporations ... Dongdaemun-gu Holds Special Lecture on 21st for Public Pledge Officers to Ensure Successful Implementation of Promises in the 8th Local Government & Detailed Measures for Responsible Pledge Fulfillment

'Visiting Life Finance and Economic Education'

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Mr. Kim, who retired as a branch manager after working at a bank for 34 years, recently started working as a financial expert instructor in Guro-gu. His extensive experience giving financial lectures at financial institutions and schools has been very helpful. He finds fulfillment by providing customized financial education and counseling to groups with relatively weak financial knowledge, such as youth, the elderly, and multicultural families.

Guro-gu (Mayor Moon Heon-il) announced on the 21st that it has completed the selection of specialized instructors for the ‘Visiting Life Finance and Economy Education’ program and is recruiting institutions to participate in the education.

In September, the district selected five financial expert instructors through document screening and interviews, targeting retirees aged 50 to under 70 with experience working in the financial sector. The purpose is to utilize retirees who have built careers and skills in related fields as regionally tailored expert instructors.

The five instructors selected this time are all experts with decades of experience in finance and economics. After completing job training conducted by the Hope Didimdol Corporation, which operates the project on consignment, they have been active as instructors for Guro-gu’s ‘Visiting Life Finance and Economy Education’ since this month.

A district official explained, “It has a meaning beyond creating new jobs in that it contributes to the local community by utilizing long-accumulated experience and expertise.”

The ‘Visiting Life Finance and Economy Education’ program is designed so that any resident of the district can easily and enjoyably learn essential economic and financial knowledge necessary for proper economic life. The program is tailored to the age and level of each institution’s audience and covers topics closely related to our lives, from basic financial concepts to prevention methods for financial accidents.

When welfare facilities, schools, educational institutions, care centers, and others in Guro-gu apply for education, specialized instructors visit and conduct the training. Since the instructors visit the applying institutions directly, it is convenient to receive education at the desired time.

Institutions requiring education can apply to the Hope Didimdol Corporation by December, specifying available dates, times, and locations. For more details, visit the Guro-gu Office website or contact the Hope Didimdol Corporation.

Mayor Moon Heon-il of Guro-gu said, “We will make further efforts to create many jobs where middle-aged people preparing for their second act in life can work by utilizing their careers after retirement.”

Gwangjin-gu (Mayor Kim Kyung-ho) received the Minister of SMEs and Startups Commendation at the ‘2022 Traditional Market and Shopping District Revitalization Merit Awards’.

The ‘Traditional Market and Shopping District Revitalization Merit Awards,’ hosted by the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, aim to discover and reward outstanding markets, merchants, and supporting organizations that have contributed to revitalizing traditional markets, boosting morale among merchants and stakeholders, and promoting the development of traditional markets.

Gwangjin-gu, which is carrying out various projects for traditional markets and small business owners in the region, was especially recognized for its contributions to strengthening the capabilities of small and newly established traditional markets vulnerable to crises and protecting and supporting small business owners struggling due to COVID-19.

To revitalize traditional markets, the district implemented its own revitalization projects such as operating the Gwangjin-style shopping cart, expanding online order platforms, installing visible radios at Junggok Jeil Market, and conducting social contribution projects linked with KB Gukumgo for traditional market revitalization. It also supported traditional market management through holiday events, online delivery service support, and specialized nurturing projects, as well as helped improve facilities.

To support local small business owners, the district promoted initiatives such as the Gwangjin-style interest-free and guarantee-free loan support for small business owners, operation of the Gwangjin public delivery app ‘Ttaenggyeoyo,’ and opening six stores through the Gwangjin Smart Super pilot project.

In particular, the ‘Gwangjin-style interest-free and guarantee-free loan support for small business owners’ is meaningful as it was the first special support in Seoul to exempt interest and guarantee fees for small business owners, and the operation of the ‘Gwangjin public delivery app Ttaenggyeoyo’ is significant as it presented a model of cooperation between local governments and financial institutions for the first time in Seoul.

Kim Kyung-ho, Mayor of Gwangjin-gu, said, “Various ‘Gwangjin-style’ projects aimed at providing practical help to merchants and small business owners played a major role. Encouraged by this commendation, we will continue to work more actively to revitalize traditional markets and support small business owners.”

Seocho-gu (Mayor Jeon Seong-su) operates a ‘1:1 Local Tax Mentoring Service’ for newly established corporations facing difficulties with various local taxes in the early stages of their business.

Seocho-gu has been implementing this service since 2020 to prevent disadvantages such as additional taxes caused by missing local tax filing and payment deadlines, and to resolve corporate difficulties through useful information and customized guidance.

The district sends notices containing monthly local tax filing items, electronic filing and payment methods, and information on tax exemptions and reductions. If desired, tax officials participate directly as mentors to listen to and help resolve difficulties.

Last year, Seocho-gu sent notices to 3,646 newly established corporations and provided 1:1 mentoring to those who applied for the service. One participating corporation said, “Thanks to the mentoring from tax officials, we were able to handle the difficult local tax payments within the deadline and reduce additional tax burdens.”

Encouraged by positive responses, Seocho-gu sent ‘Local Tax Notices and Mentoring Application Guides’ to 1,546 newly established corporations in the first half of this year in August. Corporations wishing to use the service can apply by December this year by submitting an application via mail, fax, email to the person in charge, or in person.

Meanwhile, Seocho-gu also provides various free tax consultations for residents with tax concerns, including ‘Saturday Tax Consultation Days’ held on the 2nd and 4th Saturdays of every month, ‘Seocho OK Life Advisory Group’ offering 1:1 tax accountant consultations every Tuesday, and ‘Village Lawyers’ where designated tax accountants provide tax consultations at the village (dong) level.

Jeon Seong-su, Mayor of Seocho-gu, said, “We will continue to provide various tax administrative services so that corporations can establish themselves and do our best to make Seocho a ‘business-friendly’ district.”

Dongdaemun-gu (Mayor Lee Pil-hyung) announced on the 21st that it held a special lecture for officials in charge of pledge projects at the district office’s planning situation room to ensure the successful implementation of the 8th local government’s pledge projects.

This special lecture was organized to enhance the sense of responsibility among officials in charge of the 8th local government’s pledge projects and to establish an efficient pledge management system for successful project implementation.

The lecture was delivered by Lee Kwang-jae, Secretary-General of the Korea Manifesto Practice Headquarters, covering topics such as drafting detailed implementation plans for each pledge project, efficient pledge management methods, and ways to improve pledge project fulfillment rates for systematic promotion of the 8th local government’s pledge projects.

The district plans to operate a resident jury composed of district residents next month to collect public opinions and adjust the pledge implementation plans from the residents’ perspective to finalize them. In December, the ‘Final Pledge Implementation Plan’ will be published on the district office website to confirm and manage the 8th local government’s pledge projects.

Lee Pil-hyung, Mayor of Dongdaemun-gu, said, “I hope today’s training helped officials in charge of pledge projects responsibly carry out the promises made to residents, and we will do our best to actively implement the 8th local government’s pledge projects to make Dongdaemun a future city.”