Gumi-si Launches Youth Saemaeul Solidarity... Gyeongbuk-do Saemaeul Movement City and County Comprehensive Evaluation Top Award

Saemaeul Undong Future 100 Years, Promoting Saemaeul in Sympathy with Citizens

Gumi City received the Grand Prize in the 2023 Saemaeul Undong Comprehensive Evaluation of Cities and Counties conducted by Gyeongbuk Province. This is another great achievement following its selection as the top institution for two consecutive years in 2020 and 2021.

2023 Gyeongbuk-do Saemaeul Leaders Conference.

The evaluation comprehensively assessed the Saemaeul Undong activities carried out over one year by 22 cities and counties in the province. The evaluation covered three main areas: ▲Establishment of Saemaeul work promotion and support systems ▲Implementation of Saemaeul projects ▲Special policies and best practices. A total of 24 indicators across 11 items, including the creation of Saemaeul pilot villages, formation of the Youth Saemaeul Solidarity, revitalization of public libraries, and activation of Saemaeul environmental preservation projects, were objectively and fairly assessed by an internal and external practical evaluation team organized by Gyeongbuk Province.

This year, the city established a five-year plan to create an overseas Saemaeul pilot village in Hoa Dinh Village, Bac Ninh City, Vietnam, and launched the ‘Gumi City Youth Saemaeul Solidarity’ to lay the foundation for global Saemaeul movements and the development of next-generation Saemaeul leaders.

Gumi City earned high marks through various policies that embody a sharing community, such as the Saemaeul thrift flea market, resource recycling collection competition, sharing kimchi for love, Saemaeul environmental preservation movement, and wildfire prevention agricultural waste collection activities, enabling citizens to take ownership and lead the Saemaeul movement.

Kim Hyun-joo, head of the Saemaeul Division, said, “I sincerely thank the Saemaeul leaders who have consistently volunteered for the community this year,” and added, “We will continue to strive to revitalize the Saemaeul movement and promote Saemaeul projects together with the citizens.”

In the 2023 Gyeongbuk Province Saemaeul Undong evaluation of cities and counties, the Gumi City Saemaeul Women’s Association received the Excellence Award, the Workplace and Factory Saemaeul Movement Gumi City Council received the Encouragement Award, and the Saemaeul Leaders Gumi City Council received the Encouragement Award in the city and county recycling evaluation. Additionally, Kim Gwang-ja, head of the Yangpo-dong Saemaeul Women’s Association, was awarded the Prime Minister’s Commendation; Song Tae-woong, head of the Yangpo-dong Saemaeul Leaders Council, and one other received the Minister of the Interior and Safety Commendation; and Kim Ha-gon, head of the Goa-eup Saemaeul Leaders Council, received the Saemaeul Volunteer Award (Governor of Gyeongbuk Province Commendation). In total, 21 individuals were honored, further elevating the prestige of Gumi City’s Saemaeul movement.