Eunpyeong-gu Holds First In-Person New Year's Greeting Event in 3 Years on the 10th
Presenting District Administration Vision... Sustainable City, Lifelong Learning & Cultural City, Empowering Local Economy for Collective Leap Forward
District Mayor Kim Mi-kyung: “Through Bold Development, Eunpyeong Will Stand Tall as the Representative City of the Northwest Area”
[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Eunpyeong-gu (Mayor Kim Mi-kyung) held a 'New Year's Greeting Event' on the 10th at 2 p.m. in the Eunpyeong Hall of the district office, attended by local figures and residents to welcome the Year of the Rabbit.
Returning to an in-person format after 3 years, this event was designed as a time to exchange New Year's greetings with residents and share the 2023 district administration's operational direction and vision.
In her New Year's address, Mayor Kim Mi-kyung presented three key district administration visions: ▲ Establishing a foundation for a sustainable city ▲ Completing a lifelong learning and cultural city ▲ A local economy that grows and leaps forward together.
Mayor Kim emphasized that to build a 'foundation for a sustainable city,' “we must protect the city from various threats posed by climate change and safety risks.” She added, “The basis for sustainable growth is bold urban development,” highlighting that “through large-scale regional development projects like Seoul Innovation Park and expansion of metropolitan transportation networks, Eunpyeong will rise as the representative city of the northwest area.”
Earlier, the district established the 'Rapid Promotion Team for Maintenance Projects' directly under the Deputy Mayor as part of the first organizational restructuring of the new year. This team aims to integrate and execute redevelopment and reconstruction projects previously handled by various departments to ensure swift project feasibility.
The New Year's Greeting Event began with a chamber music performance by 'THE MUSIC Swani.' Attendees watched a New Year's video expressing residents' wishes, exchanged greetings with local figures, and viewed the 'Eunpyeong Vision Performance' video summarizing the 2023 district administration direction, followed by a ceremonial rice cake cutting. The Eunpyeong District Choir also performed.
To ensure a safe event, the district prepared a safety management plan in advance and deployed safety personnel at the venue, leaving no gaps in safety management.
Mayor Kim Mi-kyung stated, “This year marks the full launch of the 8th elected administration,” and pledged, “To leap forward as the center of tomorrow and a changing Eunpyeong, I will work hard with everyone in one heart throughout the new year.”
Gwangjin-gu Holds ‘2023 New Year's Greeting Event’... Residents Pledge Hopeful New Year Leap
On the 10th, First In-Person Event in 3 Years at Gwangjin-gu Office Auditorium... Over 500 Residents and Various Figures Gather
New Year's Greetings Wishing Residents' Health and Well-being, Sharing 2023 Core Strategies and District Administration Direction
Gwangjin-gu (Mayor Kim Kyung-ho) held the ‘2023 New Year's Greeting Event’ on the 10th at 2 p.m. in the district office auditorium to welcome the Year of the Rabbit, pledging a hopeful leap and soaring together with residents.
This event was organized to convey New Year's greetings wishing residents' health and well-being and to share Gwangjin-gu's core strategies and district administration direction for 2023.
About 500 residents and figures from various sectors gathered in the Gwangjin-gu office auditorium to celebrate and enjoy the first in-person New Year's greeting event in 3 years.
The event opened with a resident receiving line led by Mayor Kim Kyung-ho, followed by viewing the video ‘Preview of 2023 Gwangjin’ summarizing the district's major work plans, and then Mayor Kim's New Year's address.
Gwangjin-gu promised to create a happy Gwangjin aligned with six core strategies based on fairness, communication, and kindness: ▲ Balanced development ▲ Mutual welfare ▲ Economic vitality ▲ Culture and education ▲ Safety and environment ▲ Open communication.
Mayor Kim Kyung-ho said, “We are communicating with residents in various ways and reflecting diverse voices in district administration to lay the foundation for development,” adding, “2023 will be the first year of full-fledged leap and soaring, and we will faithfully implement well-prepared plans to achieve tangible change and progress.”
The following ‘Residents' New Year Wishes’ video featured lively wishes from children to seniors, expressing hopes for a communicative Gwangjin in 2023, drawing attention.
Additionally, the ‘Ceremonial Sirutteok (rice cake) Cutting’ with guests and a toast proposal by Hwang Gap-seok, Chairman of the Korean Senior Citizens Association Gwangjin Branch, clearly demonstrated Gwangjin-gu's solid communication administration.
Meanwhile, Gwangjin-gu held the event standing to facilitate comfortable movement and a natural New Year's greeting environment, minimizing inconvenience to participating residents through simplified protocol.
Also, thorough COVID-19 prevention measures such as personally dispensing hand sanitizer to entrants, temperature checks, and mask-wearing guidance were implemented, earning praise for continued efforts to prevent local infections.
Seocho-gu Mayor Jeon Seong-su Declares at New Year's Greeting Event: “Will Listen to Residents' Voices to Enhance Seocho Residents' Pride”
Held on the 10th at 3 p.m. at Seocho Arts & Culture Center Art Hall with 700 Residents Attending
Seocho-gu (Mayor Jeon Seong-su) held the ‘2023 New Year's Greeting Event’ on the 10th at 3 p.m. at the Seocho Arts & Culture Center Art Hall, attended by about 700 residents.
The event proceeded with a pre-performance by ‘Hyunta Band,’ a New Year's wishes video from residents, congratulatory remarks from representatives of residents born in the Year of the Rabbit, guest speeches, Mayor Jeon's New Year's address, and performances by tenor Jeon Young-ho and the children's choir Korea Angels.
Before the event started, Mayor Jeon greeted residents and guests from various sectors, sharing a time of meeting and exchanging greetings.
In his New Year's address, Mayor Jeon emphasized, “I will listen to residents' voices and devote all efforts to making living in Seocho happy and a source of pride,” adding, “I will make this year a year to further concretize the blueprint for Seocho's future.”
Songpa-gu Holds New Year's Greeting Event on the 10th, Proclaims Vision of ‘A Premium City Serving Residents as Owners,’ Presents Six Strategic Goals
From Guest Introductions to Performance, the Main Characters Are ‘Residents’
Songpa-gu (Mayor Seo Gang-seok) held the ‘2023 New Year's Greeting Event’ on the 10th, marking a strong start to the new year with residents as the main characters.
Held at Lotte Concert Hall for the first time in 3 years since the COVID-19 outbreak, about 1,500 residents attended, showing high expectations for the newly launched Songpa district administration.
Mayor Seo Gang-seok personally welcomed residents, and the event was organized around the vision of ‘A Premium City Serving Residents as Owners,’ with residents at the center from start to finish.
The event began with a powerful performance by the Songpa District Symphony Orchestra, composed of residents, followed by guest introductions led by residents, receiving enthusiastic responses.
Especially, the New Year's hope performance that concluded the event featured 35 residents from various sectors, demonstrating Songpa-gu's commitment to servant administration. Members of the Songpa Women's Football Team, traditional market merchants, social economy enterprise representatives, youth and children, and environmental officers took the stage together to press a button, unveiling a large banner displaying Songpa-gu's vision of ‘A Premium City Serving Residents as Owners.’
Mayor Seo Gang-seok said, “Since taking office on July 1 last year, I have worked tirelessly for about 180 days to repay the overwhelming support and encouragement from residents through ‘administration serving residents as owners,’” citing achievements such as ▲ Starting village bus operations ▲ Implementing one-stop service for permits and civil complaints ▲ Establishing a foundation for rapid redevelopment and reconstruction.
He added, “Regarding redevelopment and reconstruction, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport reflected last year's government policies on easing structural safety ratio requirements and abolishing the secondary detailed safety inspection, and through proactive administration, Machen 2 District, which was not included in the rapid integrated planning target, was finally selected as a candidate site at the end of last year, accelerating redevelopment in the Geoye and Machen areas.”
The district shared six strategic goals along with the new year's vision. This year, it plans to vigorously promote 100 major pledge projects aiming for ▲ A livable city ▲ A prosperous city ▲ A safe city ▲ An inclusive city ▲ A cultural and sports city ▲ A city fostering education, laying the foundation for a premium city.
To this end, Mayor Seo presented the future vision as “a city with low barriers to the district office and high-level friendly administrative services, a city full of vitality with many jobs and minimal regulations and burdens, a city where trained public officials respond swiftly to disasters minimizing damage and helping quick recovery, a city walking with the socially vulnerable so no one suffers in welfare blind spots, a city where culture and arts are within reach, and public education is active.”
Finally, Mayor Seo declared, “With ‘creativity,’ ‘innovation,’ and ‘fairness’ as core values, we will cooperate with residents to achieve new changes and greater development in Songpa.”
Meanwhile, from January 16 to February 28, the district will continue ‘Dialogue with Residents’ across all 27 neighborhoods. Unlike before, this will be a platform where residents, as sovereigns, can propose various opinions rather than a formal dialogue centered on the district mayor.
Guro-gu Holds 2023 New Year's Greeting Event
Guro-gu (Mayor Moon Heon-il) held a New Year's Greeting Event on the 10th at 2 p.m. in the Grand Ballroom of Sindorim Technomart.
Held in-person for the first time in 3 years, about 1,000 people attended, including members of the National Assembly, Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education Superintendent, district council chairperson, party committee chairpersons, city and district council members, heads of major organizations, and related institution heads.
The event proceeded with congratulatory performances, guest introductions, screening of the video ‘Scenes of Guro's New Year's Sunrise 2023,’ New Year's address, greetings, and a toast.
Mayor Moon Heon-il expressed gratitude for residents' support and interest in his New Year's address and said, “I will make Guro-gu a future advanced industrial city leading the 4th Industrial Revolution, a city of empathy and communication, a city good for studying, a safe and healthy city, a city with many jobs, and a city where prosperity is evenly shared,” pledging to do his best to transform it into a city of hope with open opportunities.
Gangnam-gu Holds ‘2023 New Year's Greeting Event’ on the 10th at COEX Auditorium with Over 1,000 Resident Representatives
Gangnam-gu (Mayor Jo Seong-myeong) successfully held the ‘2023 Gangnam-gu New Year's Greeting Event’ on the 10th at COEX Auditorium with over 1,000 attendees, including members of the National Assembly, city and district council members, and representatives from various sectors.
In his New Year's address, Mayor Jo expressed his ambition to make 2023 a year of re-leap as a city where residents' happy lives and dreams are realized and that will lead the future of the Republic of Korea. He presented five district administration goals and key policies: ▲ Innovative growth ▲ Cultural ecology ▲ Safe happiness ▲ Empathetic companionship ▲ Ultra-close city.
Gangbuk-gu Mayor Lee Soon-hee to Hold Neighborhood New Year's Greeting Events to Hear Residents' Voices On-site
Gangbuk-gu (Mayor Lee Soon-hee) will visit each neighborhood until the 18th to exchange New Year's greetings and communicate with residents on-site through the ‘2023 Neighborhood New Year's Greeting Events.’
The Beon 3-dong New Year's Greeting Event held on the 9th at 4 p.m. at the Beon 3-dong Community Center was attended by about 150 people, including Mayor Lee Soon-hee, district council chairperson, local National Assembly members, district council members, heads of related institutions, civic groups, and community leaders.
After reporting the 2023 district administration direction, a ‘Dialogue with Residents’ session was held to listen to voices from the local field. Mayor Lee and district directors personally listened to residents' hopes for Gangbuk-gu in 2023 and questions about neighborhood pending projects, taking notes and responding to inquiries.
Questions included support and cooperation for the entire process of Beon-dong 1 Complex reconstruction, whether the Shin Gangbuk Line would connect with the Dongbuk Line and possible route changes, securing youth educational facilities, introduction of electric and low-floor buses for seniors, and various other resident proposals.
Mayor Lee said, “In 2023, Gangbuk-gu will speedily promote projects that residents want,” adding, “We will pursue projects that listen to residents' opinions to empower their lives.” She also shared New Year's wishes, “I hope 2023 will be a year when all your wishes come true and you stay healthy.”
Gangbuk-gu held a New Year's Greeting Event on the 6th at Sungshin Women's University Mia Unjeong Green Campus, attended by about 700 invited residents, sharing a hopeful start and determination for the new year through New Year's addresses and greetings.
Choi Ho-kwon, Yeongdeungpo-gu Mayor, Attends Warm Winter Fund Donation Ceremony
Korea Specialty Construction Association Seoul Chapter and Ace High-Tech City Each Donate 5 Million KRW
Yeongdeungpo-gu Mayor Choi Ho-kwon held the ‘2023 Hope Ondol Warm Winter Fund Donation Ceremony’ on the 10th afternoon in the mayor's office.
On this day, the Korea Specialty Construction Association Seoul Chapter donated 5 million KRW. The fund will be used through the Community Chest of Korea to support low-income residents in the area during winter.
Following this, the Ace High-Tech City Management Association also donated 5 million KRW, spreading positive influence in the community and becoming a strong support for the underprivileged.
Mayor Choi expressed sincere gratitude, saying, “Thank you sincerely for extending warm hands of sharing to overcome difficult times,” and pledged, “We will work together with the community to create a Yeongdeungpo full of new hope.”
Dongdaemun-gu Mayor Ilhyung Lee (right in the photo) who purchased sweet potatoes from Yeoju City at the Dongdaemun-gu Lunar New Year Direct Transaction Market
Dongdaemun-gu Successfully Holds Lunar New Year Direct Transaction Market
Mayor Lee Pil-hyung Visits Site on the 10th and Purchases Sweet Potatoes from Yeoju
Dongdaemun-gu (Mayor Lee Pil-hyung) operated the ‘2023 Lunar New Year Agricultural and Marine Products Direct Transaction Market’ on the 10th from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in front of the district office plaza, together with officials from sister cities' farmers and local residents to celebrate the nation's biggest holiday, Lunar New Year.
The event involved 13 sister cities and counties (Namhae-gun, Naju-si, Jecheon-si, Chuncheon-si, Eumseong-gun, Yeoju-si, Sunchang-gun, Cheongsong-gun, Cheongyang-gun, Sangju-si, Yeoncheon-gun, Boseong-gun, Buan-gun) and the Women's Federation, connecting farmers from sister cities directly with buyers to reduce distribution stages, offering high-quality agricultural and marine products at prices lower than market prices, easing residents' shopping burdens for the Lunar New Year.
Despite being the first event in 3 years since COVID-19, many residents visited the market, showing strong interest. Purchased products could be shipped via delivery to desired locations, allowing residents to send gifts to distant friends and family, increasing satisfaction.
Total sales amounted to 82.54 million KRW, with Korean beef (Chuncheon) recording the highest sales among 125 regional specialties including pears, apples, anchovies, and wine, followed by chicken ribs (Chuncheon) and anchovies (Namhae).
Mayor Lee Pil-hyung said, “Visiting the market, tasting products, and talking with producers increased my trust in the products,” adding, “We will strive to further activate the Lunar New Year direct transaction market for mutual growth between sister city farmers and local consumers.”
Kim Tae-woo, Seoul Gangseo-gu Mayor, Visits Agricultural Specialty Direct Transaction Market to Encourage Merchants
Kim Tae-woo, Mayor of Gangseo-gu, Seoul, visited the ‘2023 Lunar New Year Sister City Direct Transaction Market’ held in the district office parking lot on the 10th morning, touring sales booths and encouraging merchants.
The direct transaction market features participation from 11 local governments with sister city ties to Gangseo-gu, including Gangwon Province, Gangneung City, Imsil County, Sangju City, and Taean County, selling agricultural specialties from each region at prices lower than the market. The market operates until 5 p.m. on the 10th and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the 11th.
Mayor Kim Tae-woo said, “I hope many people visit this good market where quality agricultural specialties from various regions can be purchased at affordable prices,” adding, “We will do our best to ensure a safe event as many people gather.”
Oh Seung-rok, Nowon-gu Mayor, Attends Escalator Completion Ceremony at Exit 6 of Junggye Station
Nowon-gu Mayor Oh Seung-rok attended the ‘Escalator Completion Ceremony at Exit 6 of Junggye Station’ held at the station's concourse on the 10th at 2 p.m.
The district has been carrying out construction since April 2018, investing a total of 3 billion KRW to install escalators and canopies (roofs) at two locations for both up and down lines to improve convenience for residents and users.
The ceremony was attended by about 100 people, including Mayor Oh Seung-rok, National Assembly member Woo Won-shik, Seoul city council member Seo Jun-oh, representatives from Junggye 2 and 3-dong, Sangye 6 and 7-dong civic groups, and residents. The program included guest introductions, completion report, commendations, speeches, ribbon cutting, test rides, and commemorative photos.
Meanwhile, the district has been progressively expanding elevator installations at 17 subway stations since 2018 to improve mobility for transportation-vulnerable groups. Elevator installation is underway inside Suraksan Station and at Exit 3 of Hwarangdae Station, and an escalator at Exit 1 of Gongneung Station is scheduled for completion this year.
Mayor Oh Seung-rok expressed sincere thanks to all who contributed to the escalator installation at Junggye Station and pledged, “We will continue to carefully ensure mobility rights for transportation-vulnerable groups.”
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