[Photo] Geumcheon-gu Signs Joint Agreement for Sincheon~Sillim Line 추진

[Seoul District News] Geumcheon-gu Signs Business Agreement on the 29th at the National Assembly Members' Office Building with Siheung-si, Gwangmyeong-si, and Gwanak-gu to Promote the Sincheon~Sillim Line Project & Connecting the Sincheon~Sillim Line from Siheung-si Sincheon Station through Gwangmyeong-si to Geumcheon-gu Doksan Station and Seoul Line 2 Sillim Station... Oh Seung-rok, Nowon-gu Mayor, Attends 'Nowon-type Reconstruction Rapid Promotion National Assembly Policy Forum'... Lee Gi-jae, Yangcheon-gu Mayor, Visits Senior Job Explanation Meeting to Communicate with Seniors... Park Kang-su, Mapo-gu Mayor, Represents Ahyeon-dong Local Events on the Afternoon of the 29th

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Geumcheon-gu (Mayor Yu Seong-hoon) signed a business agreement on the 29th at the National Assembly Members' Office Building with Siheung-si, Gwangmyeong-si, and Gwanak-gu for the promotion of the ‘Sincheon~Sillim Line Project’.

The Sincheon~Sillim Line is a metropolitan railway line connecting Sincheon Station in Siheung-si, passing through Gwangmyeong-si and Geumcheon-gu Doksan Station, to Sillim Station on Seoul Subway Line 2.

This agreement is significant as it goes beyond the existing local government heads' agreement, involving members of the National Assembly from Geumcheon-gu, Siheung-si, Gwangmyeong-si, and Gwanak-gu, who have come together to cooperate for the prompt implementation of the Sincheon~Sillim Line project.

The main contents of the agreement include ▲mutual cooperation for the establishment of a direct line between Sincheon and Sillim ▲joint promotion of a preliminary feasibility study ▲joint efforts to reflect the project in the 5th National Railway Network Plan.

The preliminary feasibility study will begin in December and proceed for 10 months until September 2023. If feasibility is verified, the results will be reflected in the National Railway Network Plan to promote the project in earnest.

Yu Seong-hoon, Mayor of Geumcheon-gu, said, “The long-awaited Sinansan Line construction is progressing smoothly with its opening scheduled for 2025,” and added, “Starting with this agreement, if the Sincheon~Sillim metropolitan railway line is established, Geumcheon-gu is expected to become a key transportation hub in the southwestern area of Seoul.”

Oh Seung-rok, Mayor of Nowon-gu, attended the ‘National Assembly Policy Forum for the Rapid Promotion of Nowon-type Reconstruction’ held at the National Assembly Members' Office Building at 2 p.m. on the 29th.

Nowon-gu is a typical bedroom community developed through large-scale housing development in the late 1980s, with 45 aged apartment complexes over 30 years old as of 2022, totaling about 67,000 households. Due to aging apartments, poor residential environments such as rust-colored water from corroded pipes, noise between floors, and nightly parking wars have caused continuous population outflow to surrounding new towns.

This forum was held to seek rapid reconstruction promotion measures to solve the problems of deteriorating residential environments caused by aging housing and the resulting population decline, responding to residents' complaints.

The forum was hosted by National Assembly members Woo Won-shik, Kim Sung-hwan, and Ko Yong-jin, with Professor Lee Je-seon of Yonsei University's Department of Urban Engineering serving as the chair. About 100 people attended, and the event lasted two hours with presentations, discussions, and Q&A sessions.

The first presenter, Park Yong-seon, Director of the Housing Maintenance Division at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, discussed the current government's direction on reconstruction and redevelopment policies. The second presenter, Jin Kyung-eun, Director of the Urban Planning Bureau of Nowon-gu, addressed the necessity of rapid reconstruction, current reconstruction policies in Nowon-gu, and proposals for swift promotion.

Following the presentations, discussants included Professor Lee Won-geun from Seoil University’s Department of Architecture, who spoke on ‘The Role of Government and Local Governments for Smooth Housing Supply including Reconstruction,’ Kim Jang-su, Director of the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s Apartment Support Division, who covered ‘Three Major Reconstruction Improvement Tasks and Issues,’ Hong Soo-im, a specialized lawyer in maintenance projects from a law firm, who suggested ‘Institutional Measures for Commercial Issues to Enhance Maintenance Project Effectiveness,’ and Jeong Gwang-ryang, Vice President of the Korea Technology Society, who shared opinions on ‘Improvement of Reconstruction Safety Inspection Standards and Institutional Improvement Plans.’

Mayor Oh Seung-rok stated, “Reconstruction is not a matter of choice but a matter of survival. I hope this forum will help us unite our will and overcome the challenges ahead,” and added, “We will steadily establish measures step by step and provide wholehearted support at the district level for the rapid promotion of reconstruction.”

Lee Gi-jae, Mayor of Yangcheon-gu, visited the site of the ‘Senior Job Information Session’ held at Haenuri Town on the afternoon of the 29th to communicate with senior job seekers.

The session, jointly participated by 12 organizations including welfare centers, cultural centers, and Yangcheon Senior Club, featured various programs starting with an explanation of next year’s senior job projects in Yangcheon-gu, ▲job information by implementing agencies ▲exhibition of senior job products ▲exhibition of excellent job cases and viewing booths ▲employment counseling and interview booths ▲event booths, among others.

Mayor Lee Gi-jae said, “We will continue to focus on creating specialized jobs for seniors so that they can enjoy a healthy and fulfilling later life.”

Park Kang-su, Mayor of Mapo-gu, attended the ‘6th Visiting Our Neighborhood Concert,’ a representative local event in Ahyeon-dong, Mapo-gu, on the afternoon of the 29th, enjoying a pleasant time with residents.

Now in its 6th year, the ‘Our Neighborhood Concert’ was held face-to-face for the first time in three years due to COVID-19. The concert featured diverse performances including residents’ guitar performances honed at the Ahyeon-dong Community Center guitar class, as well as traditional Korean music and jazz.

Mayor Park Kang-su expressed, “I deeply thank the Ahyeon-dong Residents’ Autonomy Committee for organizing this warm musical event where residents can connect with each other,” and added, “I hope the Ahyeon-dong Our Neighborhood Concert will be a time for families and neighbors to empathize.”

Gangnam-gu (Mayor Jo Seong-myeong) held a ceremony on the 28th to deliver 1,000 kg of kimchi for love in cooperation with Parnas Hotel. Since 2006, Parnas Hotel has continuously engaged in sharing activities and win-win cooperation with vulnerable groups in the local community for 17 years. This year as well, they directly delivered 1,000 kg of kimchi to 100 needy households in the community via courier.

Gwangjin-gu (Mayor Kim Kyung-ho) held a ‘Donation Ceremony from Korea Gems Co., Ltd.’ at the mayor’s office on the 29th.

Korea Gems, located in Gunja-dong, Gwangjin-gu, is a comprehensive specialized medical company producing and exporting professional pharmaceuticals, new drugs, and medical devices.

As part of ongoing social contribution activities, Korea Gems promoted donations within the local community this year to celebrate its 25th anniversary.

Employees held a ‘Gems and Neighbors’ bazaar and raised 2.5 million KRW, and the company also donated 2.5 million KRW to support the meaningful activities of its employees, delivering a total donation of 5 million KRW to Gwangjin-gu Office.

Mayor Kim Kyung-ho of Gwangjin-gu said, “I sincerely thank you for your generous and warm-hearted support for local welfare,” and added, “We will make sure to use it for meaningful projects.”

The Gwangjin Welfare Foundation selects the use and distribution targets of the donation. Korea Gems plans to participate annually in Gwangjin-gu’s ‘Walking with the Vulnerable Project,’ and employees will visit social welfare facilities in Gunja-dong to provide home care services for low-income families and meal service volunteer work at senior cafeterias.