Dongjak-gu, Smart Shelters Increase from 5 to 7... Jungnang Indoor Playground Opens

[Seoul District News] Dongjak-gu Operates 5 Smart Shelters, 2 More to Be Added Next Year ... Jungnang-gu Opens Seoul-Style Kids Cafe Jungnang 1st Branch ‘Jungnang Indoor Playground’ on the 7th ... Yangcheon-gu Expands Play Areas with Remodeling of Dangdwi and Kkumdongsan Children's Parks ... Seongdong-gu Completes Utility Pole Maintenance to Improve Safety on School Routes ... Gwangjin-gu Installs Heating Cables on Snow-Prone School Routes from Yonggok Middle to Cho and Dongui Elementary, Near Gwangjin Information Library and Hyundai Riverville ... Gangseo-gu Installs ‘Alleyway Solar Film Guide Signs’ in Residential Area of Hwagok-dong

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Dongjak-gu (Mayor Park Il-ha) is expanding the installation of ‘Dongjak-gu Smart Shelters,’ which incorporate various smart technologies to provide residents with a comfortable and pleasant resting place throughout all four seasons.

By the end of this year, the district has installed and is operating smart shelters at five locations: Soongsil University Entrance Station, Seongdae Market, Namseong Station, Sangdo Station, and Sindaebang Samgeori Station.

Additionally, on the 7th, the district signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Seegene Medical Foundation to add two more smart shelters by January next year.

The ‘Dongjak-gu Smart Shelter’ is a smart bus shelter measuring 4.5 meters in width and 2 meters in depth, equipped with an air purifier and smart automatic heating and cooling functions, allowing users to stay cool or warm depending on weather changes.

To prevent the spread of COVID-19, an automatic door with a thermal check facial recognition camera has been installed at the entrance, and ultraviolet (UV) sterilization functions have been added inside.

For residents’ convenience and safety, real-time bus arrival information boards, chairs with wired and wireless smartphone charging functions, public Wi-Fi, automatic lighting, and CCTV and emergency bells linked to the Dongjak-gu Integrated Control Center have also been installed.

The operating hours align with public transportation schedules, from 4 a.m. to midnight.

The district also operates ‘Fine Dust Safe Smart Shelters’ to block high concentrations of fine dust at three locations: Heukseok Station Exit 4, Isu Station Exit 12, and in front of Isu Hillstate. These outdoor shelters feature simultaneous air circulation and purification.

When fine dust levels reach ‘bad’ status, the shelters automatically purify the air and provide local fine dust information through built-in fine dust sensors.

Park Il-ha, Mayor of Dongjak-gu, stated, “This MOU with Seegene Medical Foundation brings us one step closer to building smart city infrastructure. We will do our best to ensure residents can experience smart city benefits in their daily lives.”

Jungnang-gu (Mayor Ryu Kyung-gi) held the opening ceremony of ‘Jungnang Indoor Playground,’ the first Seoul-style kids cafe in Jungnang-gu, on the 7th.

The ceremony was attended by about 50 people, including Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon, Jungnang-gu Mayor Ryu Kyung-gi, and residents. It proceeded with congratulatory speeches, cake cutting, unveiling ceremony, commemorative photo session, and facility tour.

Mayor Ryu Kyung-gi said, “I hope children can freely play and laugh happily at Jungnang Indoor Playground regardless of the weather. We will continue to do our best to make Jungnang a great place to raise children where both parents and kids are happy.”

‘Jungnang Indoor Playground’ is an indoor play space for children aged 24 months to 5 years. After a two-week pilot operation starting August 26, it officially opened in September. Equipped with various play equipment such as slides and trampolines, the comfortable facility is available at an affordable price of 2,000 KRW for children and 1,000 KRW for guardians, earning high satisfaction among local residents.

Yangcheon-gu (Mayor Lee Ki-jae) announced that Dangdui Children’s Park in Sinwol 5-dong and Kkumdongsan Children’s Park in Sinjeong 6-dong have been renovated and transformed into larger play areas, comfortable resting spaces, and green zones.

Dangdui Children’s Park in Sinwol 5-dong, established in 1984, had significantly aged facilities including play and rest areas, and the play space was reduced due to unplanned facility placement responding to complaints.

Through renovation, the district relocated the existing shade frequently used by seniors closer to the senior center, removed an unused acupressure path, and greatly expanded the play area. The widened central space was created as an open yard where children can freely run and play. Additionally, multifunctional eco-friendly play equipment made of acacia wood was installed to stimulate children’s interest.

Kkumdongsan Children’s Park in Sinjeong 6-dong, located inside Mokdong Apartment Complex 8, boasts a spacious 3,730㎡ area and a broad open feel. The district preserved the serene pine hill and expanded the play area by adding elevated play mounds and dynamic play facilities such as trampolines. This plan aims to help children who usually lack exercise time engage in physical activity through play. The old safety fence protecting underground facilities was also replaced to enhance safety.

Moreover, old small-scale outdoor exercise equipment was replaced with multifunctional equipment to create a fitness space for all generations.

Lee Ki-jae, Mayor of Yangcheon-gu, said, “We have fully opened Dangdui and Kkumdongsan Children’s Parks, reborn as pleasant play and rest spaces with a wide open feel. We hope many people visit, and we will continue to create themed playgrounds in each neighborhood to make Yangcheon a great place to live everywhere.”

Seongdong-gu (Mayor Jung Won-oh) announced that it completed the maintenance of 30 utility poles causing pedestrian inconvenience in 2022 to improve the walking environment and prevent resident safety accidents.

Seongdong-gu was the first in the nation to sign a public-private cooperation MOU with Korea Electric Power Corporation and KT in 2019, systematically addressing the utility pole maintenance issues that were difficult to resolve due to conflicts among residents and stakeholders. The district actively participated in conflict mediation among stakeholders and collaborated with related organizations, maintaining 30 inconvenient utility poles annually for four years from 2019 to this year, totaling 120 poles. Through public-private cooperation, the district also reduced maintenance costs, saving approximately 700 million KRW over four years.

In August, the district was selected as a ‘Model Case of Active Administration’ by the Board of Audit and Inspection and received a commendation from the Auditor General. The district was highly evaluated for actively promoting the relocation of inconvenient utility poles even for complaints outside its jurisdiction, contributing to creating a safe walking and school commuting environment.

Im Hee-taek, manager of KT Seongsu Branch collaborating on utility pole maintenance with Seongdong-gu, said, “Seongdong-gu communicates with residents to find compromises on troublesome complaints, making the work much easier. We feel rewarded to contribute to creating a safe and pleasant walking environment. We want to maintain this good cooperative relationship with Seongdong-gu.”

A parent of Muhak Elementary School students, Mr. Kim, who visited the site where utility poles were relocated, said, “With the dangerous utility poles moved, the sidewalks are much wider, so children can walk safely. Also, the old tilted poles and tangled wires have been maintained, making the neighborhood look much cleaner and brighter.” He expressed strong support for the utility pole maintenance project.

Jung Won-oh, Mayor of Seongdong-gu, said, “The utility pole maintenance project started in 2019 has been successfully completed this year, and I hope it alleviates residents’ inconvenience even a little. We will continue the maintenance project until next year and do our best to prioritize residents’ safety and create a safe Seongdong.”

Gwangjin-gu (Mayor Kim Kyung-ho) installed road heating cables in snow removal vulnerable sections such as the school commuting route of Yonggok Elementary School.

With the installation of heating cables, the district aims to prevent snow accumulation and ice formation on roads, thereby preventing safety accidents among residents that frequently occur in winter and avoiding traffic chaos during commuting hours, enabling prompt and efficient snow removal management.

In particular, the installation of road heating cables in front of elementary schools was one of the suggestions made last year by schools and parents to reduce the risk of falls among commuting students.

The road heating cables were installed on six sections, including the commuting route from Yonggok Middle School to Yonggok Elementary School, the commuting route to Dongui Elementary School, and steep sections such as near Gwangjin Information Library and beside Hyundai Riverville (photo), where serious accidents could occur.

The district operates the road heating cables based on stepwise situations according to snowfall forecasts or heavy snow forecasts, and the heating cables are remotely controlled from the control room.

Kim Kyung-ho, Mayor of Gwangjin-gu, said, “The installation of road heating cables has enabled faster and more efficient initial snow removal. We will work hard in various ways to ensure residents have a safe winter even during cold waves or heavy snow.”

The district plans to install road heating cables in three more sections in 2023: in front of Daewon Foreign Language High School, at the entrance of Yongamsa Temple, and on Yeonghwasa-ro 16-gil.

Gangseo-gu, Seoul (Mayor Kim Tae-woo) announced the installation of ‘Solar Film-type Alleyway Guide Signs’ to allow residents to walk safely on dark streets at night.

This initiative aims to protect residents from various crimes occurring in alleyways at night and create a safe residential environment where they can live with peace of mind.

The guide sign installation project was carried out as part of the ‘MOU for Creating a Safe Environment for Gender Equality and Safety in Gangseo’ signed between the district and Gangseo Police Station in August.

Gangseo Police Station selected target locations using a crime analysis system to enhance crime prevention effects, and the district was responsible for installation.

The guide signs are eco-friendly solar types that emit light without additional electricity costs, providing a gentle streetlight effect that helps not only nighttime pedestrians but also drivers.

They also include the current address, facilitating quick reporting in emergencies and indicating areas under intensive police patrol, thereby alleviating residents’ anxiety about various crimes.

The signs were installed at 16 locations in the Hakgok-dong area, which has many dark alleys and densely populated multi-family and multi-unit housing. The district plans to continuously monitor the installation effects and expand installations to other areas.

Mayor Kim Tae-woo said, “Old downtown areas like Hakgok-dong have many narrow alleys exposed to various crimes and accidents, so we joined hands with the police to resolve this. We will continue to collaborate with related organizations to make Gangseo the safest and most livable district for residents.”

The district is also promoting various crime prevention projects in the area, including supporting stalking prevention and women’s safety crime prevention supplies in cooperation with Gangseo Police Station.