[Interview] Jung Won-oh, Seongdong District Mayor, "Will Present an Integrated Care Model for Seniors in the Super-Aged Society"

Support for Fall Prevention Safety Products and Expansion of Daycare Centers
Realizing Sustainable Community Living
Supporting Daily Life for Seniors and Creating Retirement Villages
Establishing Mid- to Long-Term Plans and Presenting a Roadmap

"To proactively prepare for the super-aged society era, we will establish a differentiated elderly care system in Seongdong-gu."

Jung Won-oh, the mayor of Seongdong-gu, identified improving the elderly care system as the key task for the district this year during an interview on the 19th. With South Korea expected to enter a super-aged society by 2025, Seongdong-gu plans to systematize its own care model by establishing mid- to long-term plans ranging from supporting the daily lives of the elderly to creating retirement villages.

Since people aged 60 and above tend to prefer spending their later years in the places where they have lived compared to younger generations, Mayor Jung emphasizes that creating an environment where seniors can carry out daily activities in their neighborhoods despite mobility difficulties due to aging is of utmost importance.

Accordingly, Seongdong-gu plans to realize "Aging in Place," a community where comfortable housing and reliable care coexist in the super-aged era. For example, this includes providing mobility aids, handrails, walkers to elderly households, or promoting bathroom improvement projects.

As part of this, Seongdong-gu has been implementing the "Fall Prevention Safety Care Project" since last year. Mayor Jung focused on the fact that most falls among the elderly occur inside the home. The goal is to prevent falls in advance to avoid worsening into severe injuries. Last year, safety equipment to prevent falls was provided to a total of 500 low-income elderly households. This year, an additional 500 households will be supported, with plans to continue annual support according to the yearly schedule.

In the long term, the district will expand day care centers by neighborhood. Day care centers serve as spaces where seniors with limited mobility can stay until they recover their health and return to daily life. Seongdong-gu currently has a total of 14 day care centers and plans to gradually expand them by district (dong). Mayor Jung stated, "Furthermore, it is necessary to create conditions where elderly people who need care can live together in one place." This model supports living in individual spaces while sharing common areas for meals, laundry, and social activities, with social workers, nurses, and counselors residing on-site to provide continuous management. He also mentioned that utilizing sister cities or local towns to create "retirement villages" would be a good option. If retirees gather in community-style residential facilities equipped with cultural, medical, and convenience facilities, it would help alleviate emotional isolation and foster social bonds.

Accordingly, the district plans to set specific goals step-by-step according to mid- to long-term plans and present a roadmap for establishing a Seongdong-type integrated care model. It added that such a care system is expected to serve as a proactive example in preparing for the super-aged society era. Improving housing for vulnerable groups is also one of Seongdong-gu’s key projects this year. In 2022, Seongdong-gu launched the "Seongdong-type Housing Environment Improvement Project" to guarantee housing rights for vulnerable groups. A full survey of semi-basement houses was conducted to accurately assess the situation, and flood prevention facilities such as flood barriers were provided to target households.

In November last year, Seongdong-gu enacted the "Seongdong-gu Ordinance on the Improvement and Support of Hazardous Dwellings," the first of its kind nationwide, which designates all residences posing health and safety risks as "hazardous dwellings" and stipulates the responsibilities of local governments. Since the "Minimum Housing Standards" under the Housing Act are difficult to apply to improving existing houses, this ordinance provides an institutional basis for policies aimed at removing various risk factors to enhance housing quality and stability.

This year, the district plans to continue improving poor and vulnerable dwellings such as rooftop rooms and goshiwon (small, inexpensive rooms for students or workers) in addition to semi-basements. Mayor Jung stated that various projects to guarantee housing rights for vulnerable groups will be continuously pursued, focusing on inclusive housing policies that cover all social strata and building a housing safety net from a long-term perspective. Additionally, Mayor Jung plans to enhance residents’ quality of life this year by creating the "Seongdong-type Daily Living Zone." By providing high-quality services close to individuals’ daily lives, the district aims to create a city where essential functions of life such as culture, leisure, care, and public services can be easily and conveniently enjoyed. The transportation network will be made denser to reduce travel time, and essential social functions such as housing, health, education, and leisure will be strengthened.

Mayor Jung Won-oh said, "Ultimately, we will accelerate the completion of a seamless inclusive city where workplaces, living spaces, and rest areas develop harmoniously," adding, "We will focus the district’s capabilities on creating a symbiotic community where people live together and a happy inclusive city, Seongdong."