[Interview] Kim Mikyung, Eunpyeong District Mayor: "We Will Create a City Good for Having and Raising Children"

Focus on Education Issues in Eunpyeong-gu During the 8th Local Government Term...Continuous Efforts to Improve the Quality of Public Childcare...Seeking Practical Solutions for Career and Academic Advancement...Policy Implementation from the Perspective of Infants, Students, and Parents

[Asia Economy Reporter Jongil Park] “We will make Eunpyeong-gu a great place to have children, raise them well, and provide excellent education, turning it into a destination for families seeking quality education for their children.”

Kim Mikyung, Mayor of Eunpyeong-gu, explained the childcare and education policies by stating, “In the 8th term of the elected government, Eunpyeong-gu will focus on education-related issues.”

Mayor Kim highlighted the ‘I-Mom Taxi’ as Eunpyeong-gu’s representative childcare policy. This exclusive taxi service for pregnant women and families with infants and toddlers was the first of its kind nationwide, gaining significant attention. The service uses large vehicles capable of carrying strollers, equipped with car seats and in-car air purifiers, and mandates daily disinfection of the vehicles to ensure safety and hygiene.

Out of approximately 5,900 eligible residents in Eunpyeong-gu, about 5,300 have subscribed, with a cumulative usage of around 22,000 rides, receiving considerable positive feedback from residents. A satisfaction survey conducted in July showed a high satisfaction rate of 94.6%, and the service was selected as an innovation case at the 2021 Korea Innovation Expo. Not only other local governments but also the Seoul Metropolitan Government plans to benchmark this service and operate the ‘Seoul Mom and Dad Taxi’ starting next year.

From February next year, a companion support service called ‘Chinjeong Mom Service’ will be added to the I-Mom Taxi. Mayor Kim said, “This service will provide emotional support similar to that of a mother’s care by looking after children and sharing childcare know-how. It is also expected to create jobs for seniors by linking with the Senior Club.”

In August, Eunpyeong-gu opened its 90th public daycare center and plans to expand to 100 centers by 2026 to achieve a public childcare rate of 50%. Additionally, the comprehensive childcare support center will be relocated and expanded into a new public complex facility, equipped with childcare education rooms, counseling rooms, a public kids caf?, and communal childcare rooms. Eunpyeong-gu is also the first local government in the country to establish a mental health care system for infants and toddlers, aiming to support young children, childcare staff, and caregivers experiencing psychological difficulties.

Furthermore, efforts will continue to improve the quality of public childcare by creating public kids caf?s integrated with information and communication technology, implementing a night childcare system, and increasing the ratio of childcare teachers per child.

Beyond that, alongside community education, a system providing systematic career and academic guidance information will be established. While implementing ideal community education, practical solutions will be sought for the career and academic challenges parents face. First, a Career and Academic Information Center will be set up to help students and parents plan their career paths and academic progress stably. The center will offer career and academic programs, entrance exam briefings, counseling services, and operate vocational certification courses.

Eunpyeong-gu will also actively address school violence. Recognizing school violence as a community issue, an emergency solution system will be operated in collaboration with the education office, schools, police stations, counseling centers, and law offices to resolve problems from the early stages and create a safe educational environment.

Moreover, Eunpyeong-gu’s libraries have excellent infrastructure, having won the Presidential Award in the ‘2020 and 2021 National Library Operation Evaluation’ and the Prime Minister’s Award this year. Among them, the Eunpyeong Public Library opened ‘Smartrium’ at the end of June, a space to experience and learn digital knowledge related to the 4th industrial revolution. Plans are underway to promote experiential education linked with the school curriculum, starting with Susaek-dong and Eungam-dong, and to continuously add future-oriented public libraries like Smartrium.

There is also an interesting program called ‘Eunpyeong Daejeon (The Slightly Ordinary University Seniors’ Major Stories).’ About 100 university students from Eunpyeong-gu meet juniors to provide information related to their majors at an appropriate level through counseling programs, major lectures, fairs, and experiential events. Mayor Kim Mikyung stated, “We will continue to foster talent and create a customized educational environment that supports dreams. We will do our best to make Eunpyeong a city great for raising children and to ease parents’ concerns.”