[Interview] Kim Mikyung, Eunpyeong District Mayor, "Will Expand Tangible Policies Including the I-Mom Brand"

Eunpyeong-gu's Experiential Administration Gains Popularity... I-Mom Brand, Hospital Companion Baekse Call
From GTX-A to GTX-E, a Foothold for Regional Development
National Korean Literature Museum Groundbreaking in May... Shinbundang Line Northwest Extension Needed Through Preliminary Feasibility Study Improvement

"We will focus even more on community-based administration so that people can feel that the district office pays attention to even the smallest details." "The 'I-Mom Taxi' started in Eunpyeong-gu has been so meticulously developed with new ideas that Seoul City benchmarked it and created the 'Seoul Mom and Dad Taxi."

Kim Mi-kyung, the mayor of Eunpyeong-gu, expressed in an interview her commitment to discovering on-the-ground administration that can be felt firsthand. She also said that the GTX-A line opening this year, the National Korean Literature Museum, and other projects envisioned since the 7th local government term will be successfully realized one by one.

In addition to the I-Mom Taxi, which is Mayor Kim’s flagship idea project, the 'I-Mom Counseling Center' has been operating since last year. The response has been enthusiastic, with 46 daycare centers, 1,174 applicants, and over 3,000 counseling sessions conducted. Mayor Kim shared, "One mother had been receiving psychiatric treatment and medication but was struggling so much that it was difficult to keep her family together. Thanks to the I-Mom Counseling Center, she was able to protect her family, which was a deeply moving story."

Also, the 'Baekse Call' taxi service for seniors is a new policy unique to Eunpyeong-gu. As the digital era threatens the lives of the elderly, the district provides various digital education programs such as kiosks and smartphone usage, but it is not easy for seniors to immediately apply what they learn.

The district provides a dedicated call taxi phone number for seniors with no call charges, making it easy for them to use. Analyzing usage patterns showed that 45.2% of rides were to hospitals, so from this year, a 'Hospital Companion Service' has been added. Mayor Kim said, "We plan to continue our efforts to improve transportation convenience and welfare for seniors in this era of longevity."

Regarding regional development, there is interest in what changes will come when the GTX-A line opens this year. Yeonsinnae Station, where GTX-A will open, will become a triple transit hub along with subway lines 3 and 6. The area around Yeonsinnae Station is being developed into a pedestrian-centered space connected with underground areas, and the surface is being turned into a cultural and arts park for busking and small-scale performances.

Recently, the government announced the GTX-E line, which includes Yeonsinnae Station and Susaek DMC Station, making Yeonsinnae a quadruple transit hub with four stations.

The GTX-E line will connect to Incheon Airport, creating favorable conditions for attracting overseas tourists. The most desired destination for foreign dignitaries and famous actors is Jingwansa Temple. The Bukhansan Han Culture Experience Special Zone, where Jingwansa is located, includes museums, art galleries, a Hanok village, and a classical translation institute. The National Korean Literature Museum, which will begin construction this year, will also be located there. As a side note, Jingwansa had the Sagadokseodang during the Joseon Dynasty, which served as a secret base for researching Hangul.

She also explained that the National Korean Literature Museum will begin construction in May. Mayor Kim said, "I feel especially meaningful that the 'National Korean Literature Museum' is being built in the reporters' village, where journalists lived together during Korea’s industrialization and democratization era, nurturing literary culture." She emphasized, "When the National Korean Literature Museum opens, it is expected to attract about 1.5 to 2 million visitors, but since there is no subway access, the extension of the Shinbundang Line to the northwest must be realized."

Mayor Kim Mi-kyung said, "This year, ordinary citizens are facing increased difficulties due to consumption stagnation and rising prices. We will provide administration that helps even in the smallest details." She added, "Eunpyeong-gu is undergoing unprecedented changes in transportation, economy, and culture, and we will do our best to grow it into the center of northwest Seoul within the next 10 years."