Walking 8,600km, the distance from Seoul to Paris, over two years since inauguration to communicate with residents and establishing the 'Hongdae Red Road' to secure status as one of the world's top three luxury streets... Leading government policy by creating a new senior welfare system for the super-aged era through 'Hyodo Bapsang'
Park Gang-su, the mayor of Mapo District, is a truly diligent mayor who visits various parts of the region every single day of the year without taking a break.
Since taking office as the mayor of Mapo District on July 1, 2022, he has reportedly walked 15,000 steps daily, covering a total distance of 8,600 km over about two years.
This distance is equivalent to the distance between Seoul and Paris. Since the distance between Sangam-dong and Gongdeok-dong in Mapo District is 8 km, it is like making 540 round trips.
He has thoroughly toured various parts of the region, including underdeveloped areas and alleyway commercial districts.
He has operated the on-site mayor’s office more than 170 times and handled over 200,000 civil complaints.
He demonstrates superhuman stamina by managing about 25 daily schedules.
Among Mayor Park’s achievements, the greatest are the creation of the Hongdae Red Road and the Hyo-do Bapsang (Filial Piety Meal Table).
Due to COVID-19, the Hongdae commercial district was on the verge of collapse. Many businesses closed, facing tremendous difficulties.
Seeing this situation, Mayor Park Gang-su came up with a decisive idea to revive the Hongdae commercial district.
It was none other than the creation of the “Hongdae Red Road.” The approximately 2 km stretch from Gyeongui Line Forest Trail through Hongdae to Dangin-ri Power Plant was transformed into Hongdae’s representative themed street, a unique cultural and tourism street in Mapo where nature, culture, tourism, and safety harmoniously coexist.
In the past, the Hongdae commercial district was divided into two by a hill between the commercial areas, but it was flattened and connected into a plaza where people could walk and cars could flow smoothly. The plaza includes resting areas and spaces for busking performances.
According to a survey by the Korea Tourism Organization, the number of foreign tourists increased about fourfold before and after the creation of the Hongdae Red Road. Accordingly, card spending increased by about 1.6 times.
As a result, merchants in the Hongdae commercial district regard Mayor Park as a savior.
A, who runs an accessory shop in Hongdae, said, “Due to COVID-19, the number of customers decreased significantly, but thanks to the Red Road project, people are flocking back to Hongdae, bringing vitality. In fact, Hongdae did not have distinguishing features compared to other areas, but now it finally has characteristics that represent Hongdae,” welcoming the change.
Mayor Park Gang-su proudly stated at the lighting ceremony of the safe street lamps on the Hongdae Red Road on the evening of the 9th, “The Hongdae Red Road has risen to become one of the world’s top three streets.”
With just one idea, he achieved a remarkable miracle that revived the commercial district and saved people.
Mayor Park said, “The Red Road project, which links safety with tourism activation, is a meaningful project that can simultaneously revitalize the local economy and the Hongdae cultural and arts tourism special district, thereby enhancing regional development and sustainability. We will also promptly promote the Mapo Circular Train Bus, which will connect many tourists visiting the Red Road to various parts of the region.”
Mayor Park is a native of Mapo who has lived in Mapo all his life since moving to Seoul. Once an entrepreneur with about 60 patents, he was an idea man, but he rose to the core of local politics by leading a citizen movement to relocate a thermal power plant.
Scenic view of Hongdae Red Road, a representative landmark of Mapo-gu, awarded the 2023 Asia Urban Landscape Award
Mayor Park has created “Hyo-do Bapsang,” a new level one-stop elderly welfare system for the super-aged society, which is likely to be expanded as a government policy.
On March 21, 2023, President Yoon Suk-yeol, during the 22nd public discussion on people’s livelihood held in Wonju, Gangwon Province, announced plans to expand nationwide the “sale-type silver towns” and “free meals at senior centers” to ensure a comfortable and safe daily life for the elderly in preparation for a super-aged society. He also said that the government would consider spreading the model of Mapo District’s “Hyo-do Bapsang,” which jointly prepares and supplies side dishes needed at local meal centers.
Started for the first time nationwide in 2023, Mapo District’s “Hyo-do Bapsang” project provides balanced lunches six days a week, welfare checks, and health monitoring to seniors aged 75 and older in the district, protecting their health and safety and preventing isolation. It is a representative welfare model of Mapo District.
It is not just about providing food; it operates as an integrated service managing daily life, including legal, tax, and health consultations, receiving great responses not only from the elderly recipients but also from their families and local residents.
According to Mapo District, during the pilot operation in 2023, about 500 elderly people aged 75 and older living alone in the district were provided with 62,130 balanced lunches and a safe daily life.
The district is taking a step further by working to establish a hub-type mobile meal service system that can greatly expand the number of Hyo-do Bapsang users without massive budget input.
To this end, the district has built a “side dish factory” capable of preparing 1,000 servings of meals and operates a total of 31 meal facilities, adding 15 new meal facilities to the existing 16.
The existing 16 meal facilities prepare and serve food on-site, but the additional 15 meal facilities receive freshly prepared meals from the side dish factory delivered via the Hyo-do Bapsang meal trucks.
Park Kang-su, Mayor of Mapo District, communicating with the elderly dining at the Hyo-do Bapsang (Filial Piety Table)
Mayor Park Gang-su, who planned Hyo-do Bapsang, said, “I believe that the fact that South Korea ranks first among OECD countries in elderly suicide and elderly poverty rates should not be ignored by the nation or society. The problems of the elderly are not someone else’s story but our own. Since the super-aged era has already begun, Mapo District will gladly play a pioneering role in establishing a universal elderly welfare system.”
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