[Interview] Mun Heon-il, Guro District Mayor: "Revitalizing Redevelopment and Reconstruction to Create a Competitive City"

Establishing Mid- to Long-Term Urban Development Plan to Strengthen Guro-gu's Competitiveness... Supporting Longevity Celebration Funds for 100-Year-Old Seniors This Year, Installing Emergency Call Bells in All Senior Centers, Providing Multi-Child Birth Celebration Funds, and Promoting Various Community-Oriented Projects

“The top priority project we want to focus on this year is redevelopment and reconstruction projects.”

Moon Heon-il, the mayor of Guro-gu, said this in a recent interview.

Currently, Guro-gu has a total of nine sites selected as target areas for Seoul city public contest projects such as Moa Town and Rapid Integrated Planning, and is promoting these projects.

Among them, there are three Rapid Integrated Planning redevelopment sites (around Garibong-dong 87-177, Gocheok-dong 253, Garibong-dong 115), one Rapid Integrated Planning reconstruction site (around Gung-dong 213-21), four Moa Town sites (around Gocheok-dong 241, Guro-dong 728, Gaebong-dong 270-38, Guro-dong 511), and one public redevelopment site (around Guro-dong 252).

As a specific promotion plan, he introduced a plan to revitalize ‘small-scale reconstruction projects’ to quickly improve the aging urban image. Mayor Moon said, “Currently, small-scale reconstruction projects with relatively short project periods are underway at a total of 15 sites including Daeheung Yeonrip, Dongsam Park Villa, Gilhun Apartment, and Gyeongnam Guro Yeonrip,” adding, “We will minimize the review period at each project stage and actively promote the projects through holding residents’ briefings and meetings, sharing difficulties between districts, and benchmarking leading districts.”

He continued, “From a long-term perspective, we need to review the impact of decisions made now on the future and respond to various situations expected to arise in the future, but until now, our district has not had a mid- to long-term plan,” emphasizing, “A mid- to long-term basic urban development plan is necessary to enhance and rebirth the value of the city.” He also said, “Last year, we started establishing the ‘Guro-gu Urban Development Basic Plan’ targeting 2050, began related services in June last year, and the final report meeting is scheduled for the second half of this year,” expressing his determination, “We will systematically respond to changes according to the mid- to long-term plan and make our district a more competitive city.”

The slogan of Guro-gu in the 8th elected term, ‘Warm Companionship, Changing Guro,’ embodies the will to fundamentally change Guro-gu and meticulous, detailed administration. Last year, Guro-gu was the only autonomous district among 499 evaluated public institutions to achieve a first-grade rating for two consecutive years in the public institution integrity evaluation conducted by the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission.

Additionally, last year, Guro-gu quickly responded to demographic changes such as low birthrate and aging by introducing services such as the first-ever foreigner-dense area community center interpretation service in an autonomous district, hearing aid support for elderly with hearing loss, and expanded postpartum care cost support.

Furthermore, Guro-gu’s specialized dental treatment service for the disabled was awarded the grand prize at the ‘Seoul City Medicine Companion Autonomous District Support Project Performance Report Meeting,’ and the Dream Start project, which provides customized integrated child services for vulnerable children, won the Presidential Award at the ‘2023 Dream Start Project Report Conference.’

This year, various life-centered projects will be promoted, including longevity celebration funds for centenarian elders, installation of emergency call bells in all senior centers, and birth celebration funds for multiple children. Mayor Moon said, “When listening to residents’ difficulties, I want to solve all of them, so I divide my time by the minute to visit as many sites as possible,” adding, “With limited time and resources, I am working hard to maximize the benefits for as many residents as possible.”

Mayor Moon Heon-il said, “I will keep the saying ‘Bongsan Gaedo Usuga-gyo (逢山開道 遇水架橋),’ which means ‘When meeting a mountain, make a road; when meeting water, build a bridge,’ in my heart and strive to keep promises to the residents,” adding, “We will completely transform Guro-gu, so please continue to watch over us with warm interest.”