Pilot operation starts from June 19... Laptop and headset rental begins at the Welfare Policy Division office in Seongbuk-gu Office
In July, rental items will be expanded at Dongseon Ium to include speakers, portable chargers, mini beam projectors, bedding sterilizers, and more
Seongbuk-gu, home to many universities and commercial areas, has a high proportion of single-person households and continuously researches customized policies
Seongbuk-gu (Mayor Lee Seung-ro) has launched an item rental project targeting single-person households starting this month to alleviate daily inconveniences and support small happiness.
Seongbuk-gu is an area with many universities and commercial districts, where single-person households account for more than one-third of the total population. As of 2021, single-person households were found to make up nearly 37% of all households in Seongbuk-gu.
This item rental project is one of Seongbuk-gu’s support policies for single-person households. Before implementing the project, the district conducted online and offline surveys targeting single-person households to identify the demand for desired items. Respondents selected laptops, speakers, portable chargers, mini beam projectors, and bedding sterilizers. These are items that are burdensome to purchase for occasional use but greatly increase life satisfaction when available.
Starting from the 19th, the district will begin renting laptops and headsets at the Welfare Policy Division office on the 7th floor of Seongbuk-gu Office. Rentals are available after registering as a member on the Gongu Nuri website and leaving an ID card on-site. The usage time per rental is 3 hours, and the return location is the Welfare Policy Division office on the 7th floor.
The rental fee is 1,000 KRW.
From July, the project will expand operations at the youth space ‘Dongseon Ium’ (50 Arirang-ro, Seongbuk-gu). In addition to laptops and headsets, portable speakers, portable chargers, mini beam projectors, carts, bedding sterilizers, and robot window cleaners will be available for rent. Items other than laptops and headsets can be rented for one week, with the rental fee remaining 1,000 KRW.
Even if you wish to rent items at ‘Dongseon Ium,’ first-time users must visit the Welfare Policy Division office on the 7th floor of Seongbuk-gu Office to register as a member and submit a consent form for the use of personal information.
For rentals, users can reserve the rental date and time on the Gongu Nuri website, then present ID and pay the rental fee on-site to use the items.
A district official explained, “During the pilot operation period, we plan to operate in a way that increases convenience in procedures such as rental applications by reflecting user feedback.”
Seongbuk-gu is implementing customized policies for single-person households in anticipation of more single-person households settling in the area due to recent changes in housing patterns. The district listens to and researches opinions in various ways through benchmarking other institutions for new projects, conducting surveys on the living conditions of single-person households, and more.
Besides the item rental project, the district actively operates support programs such as youth single-person household club activities and the single-person household community space ‘Wolgok Single Bungle Sarangbang.’ The district is also pushing for the revision of the ‘Single-Person Household Support Ordinance’ to establish a systematic basis for budget allocation. Furthermore, it is expected that the ‘Single-Person Household Support Center’ currently being prepared by the district will open in 2025, enabling more substantial and professional support.
Lee Seung-ro, Mayor of Seongbuk-gu, stated, “We will continuously study various forms of single-person households so that each household can settle stably in Seongbuk-gu and enjoy a highly satisfactory life. The administration will proactively identify changing needs and provide generous support.”
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
