"Direct Guidance by Citizens"... Recruiting Volunteers for Namsan and Naksan Parks

Recruiting a Total of 35 People

[Asia Economy Reporter Kiho Sung] The Jungbu Park Leisure Center in Seoul announced that it will recruit 'Park Guide Volunteers' to work together at Namsan Park, a landmark of Seoul, and Naksan Park, a popular tourist attraction, starting from the 18th.

The Jungbu Park Leisure Center has been operating various park resource activity programs in different fields to revitalize citizen-led park culture. Participating citizens can receive necessary training for the activities and have the opportunity to engage in meaningful and rewarding volunteer work within the parks.

The volunteer activity fields within the parks include ▲Guidance volunteer activities, which provide park usage information and surrounding tourist information to domestic and foreign visitors; ▲Monitoring volunteer activities (Namsan Bird Citizen Monitoring Group), which observe and record birds inhabiting the park; and ▲Promotional volunteer activities (Park Photographers), which document the park’s diverse scenery and experiential programs through photography. Before COVID-19, these activities were actively conducted for over 4,000 hours annually, but since 2020, they have been reduced and barely operated due to the pandemic.

The 'Park Guide Volunteers' being recruited this time will provide essential information about park usage methods and transportation to various domestic and international park visitors. Selected volunteers will receive basic training on the meaning of volunteer work and an enhanced understanding of Namsan and Naksan Parks before starting their activities.

A total of 35 'Park Guide Volunteers' will be recruited (15 for Namsan, 20 for Naksan), and the activity locations will be divided between ▲Namsan Park Octagonal Information Center and ▲Naksan Park Exhibition Hall. Applicants can review the activity details in the announcement and apply for their preferred park. Considering the approximately 8 million annual visitors (based on Namsan Park) before COVID-19, additional guide volunteers will be placed in each information center to ensure smooth visitor service as daily life recovers and domestic tourism revitalizes. This will also help revive the previously stagnant volunteer programs. Furthermore, since Namsan and Naksan are popular destinations for foreign tourists, proficiency in English or other foreign languages is preferred.

Eligibility for volunteer application includes Seoul citizens aged 20 or older who have a strong interest in parks and can participate continuously at least once a week. Applicants with relevant experience will be given preference.

Selected volunteers can have their volunteer hours recognized through the 1365 Volunteer Portal and will receive activity supplies along with a modest volunteer activity allowance.

Detailed information about the recruitment can be found on the Seoul city website and the Seoul Parks website’s public notice board. For inquiries, contact the Park Leisure Department at the Jungbu Park Leisure Center.

Jaeho Ha, Director of the Jungbu Park Leisure Center, said, “Namsan and Naksan Parks are representative parks in Seoul frequently visited not only by Koreans but also by international travelers,” and added, “We hope many capable citizens will show interest and participate to help visitors have a more fulfilling outing in these beautiful parks.”