A student residing in 'Seongdong Hanyang Sangsaeng Dormitory.' The low rent and close proximity to the school result in high user satisfaction.
Recruiting 44 Students for Seongdong Hanyang Win-Win Dormitory with ‘Deposit 1 Million KRW, Monthly Rent 250,000 KRW’ from 21st to 27th
Half-Price One-Room Created through Public-Private-Academic Cooperation, High Satisfaction from Both Residents and Landlords Due to Low Rent and Proximity
[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Seongdong-gu (Mayor Jung Won-oh) announced that from the 21st to the 27th, it will recruit 44 residents for the 2023 academic year of the ‘Seongdong Hanyang Win-Win Dormitory (hereafter Win-Win Dormitory),’ which reduces housing costs for Hanyang University students to about half the usual rent.
The Win-Win Dormitory, which began as a nationwide pilot project in March 2019 and is now in its fifth year of operation, is a ‘half-price dormitory’ that expanded from 34 rooms last year to 44 rooms this year. Residents can use rooms originally priced at a 30 million KRW deposit and 400,000 KRW monthly rent for a deposit of 1 million KRW and monthly rent of 250,000 KRW, while landlords (local residents) are guaranteed stable income.
The Win-Win Dormitory was initiated based on a ‘win-win agreement’ formed by Seongdong-gu Office, local residents, and Korea Land & Housing Corporation (LH) to stabilize youth housing after conflicts arose among local residents when Hanyang University announced plans to build a dormitory in 2015. LH supports a 29 million KRW deposit loan at an annual interest rate of about 1% using the Housing and Urban Fund, and Seongdong-gu and Hanyang University each share 150,000 KRW monthly housing costs equally.
The residency period is one year, from March this year to February next year. Eligibility requires being a Hanyang University student and meeting the following criteria: ▲Eligible for the 2023 first semester national scholarship income bracket 0 to 8 ▲Final semester scholarship GPA of 2.5 or higher ▲Both parents residing outside the Seoul area. For more details, refer to the announcement on the Seongdong-gu Office website.
The Win-Win Dormitory offers lower rent compared to nearby one-room apartments and, unlike dormitories, provides one room per person, ensuring privacy, which results in high satisfaction among residents.
Jung Won-oh, Mayor of Seongdong-gu, stated, “The Win-Win Dormitory has successfully settled in the region and will continue to expand. We will strive to solve youth housing issues and foster a community culture that coexists with local residents through continuous cooperation with related organizations.”
Jongno-gu (Mayor Jeong Moon-heon) signed a business agreement with Hanmaekin Co., Ltd. on the 18th, accelerating the operation of the International Seodang (Future Education Youth Job Platform), a key project of the 8th local government administration.
The International Seodang started from Mayor Jeong Moon-heon’s belief that ‘job creation’ and ‘improvement of educational conditions’ are the most fundamental elements to enhance residents’ quality of life and essential requirements to make Jongno a place where people want to return.
Accordingly, the project was designed to provide youth with specialized English education and Seodang education (character and etiquette) through non-face-to-face methods, focusing on nurturing them as educational mentors to guide youth from partner cities in the future.
It is expected to be a ‘unique education and job creation model in Jongno’ that blends traditional Seodang-style education, which produced many independence activists, with the operation of an online international school.
Additionally, it is noteworthy that the program offers youth quality jobs and diverse experience accumulation, while providing adolescents with opportunities to improve learning ability and character through individual tutoring.
Under this business agreement, the district office will handle project hosting, student selection, and promotion, while Hanmaekin Co., Ltd. will provide and manage English education programs free of charge for youth and partner city adolescents.
The first step is recruiting mentors from the 30th of this month until the 28th of next month. Eligible candidates are youth under 39 years old who have completed education and are interested in job creation or entrepreneurship, with a commitment to participate for more than 12 months and join the Seodang camp during vacation periods. Priority is given in order to Jongno residents, university students within the district, and Seoul residents. The district will announce final successful candidates after document screening and interviews.
Selected youth mentors will participate in English specialized education including an online international school course and various Seodang classes such as Sajaseohak and Myeongsimbogam for youth character guidance from March 2023 to February 2024. Afterwards, the district plans to pilot a Seodang camp for youth at a local Hanok cultural facility centered around these mentors.
Mayor Jeong Moon-heon said, “We will fully launch the operation of the International Seodang to improve educational conditions and create youth jobs in Jongno, aiming to increase satisfaction among youth, adolescents, and parents alike. We will focus on English specialized education and character education centered on the International Seodang to make Jongno a model of global education.”
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
