Seongbuk-gu Middle-aged Single-person Households Unite This Time Through 'Plogging'

Middle-aged and Older Single Men in Crisis
With Alley Cleaning and Walking in Cooking Class

Participants and volunteers of the Seongbuk-gu Doseon-dong Sseudam Sseudam Plogging are shouting for a vigorous start. Provided by Seongbuk-gu.

The "Cooking Dongseon-dong Men" (Yodongnam) recently gathered for plogging (an activity that involves picking up trash while jogging).

The Seoul Seongbuk-gu and Dongseon-dong Community Security Council have been holding Yodongnam cooking classes for over a year to help alleviate social isolation among middle-aged and older single men. Starting this month, they announced on the 27th that they will be launching the "Dongseon-dong Ssedam Ssedam Rogging" project.

While the existing Yodongnam cooking classes were self-help meetings, the "Ssedam Ssedam Plogging" has evolved into a more advanced form that adds social contribution activities for protecting the local environment, in addition to the nature of the previous self-help meetings.

A Seongbuk-gu official stated, "Through Ssedam Ssedam Plogging, middle-aged and older single men can provide emotional support to each other and continue contributing to the community. The Dongseon-dong Resident Center, Dongseon-dong Community Security Council, and Samseon Saemaeul Geumgo have formed a tripartite agreement to support these activities," adding, "Samseon Saemaeul Geumgo has promised to fully fund the project expenses necessary for running the program."

From this month until March next year, middle-aged and older single men, together with the Dongseon-dong Community Security Council, will be able to maintain their health and protect the environment through monthly activities such as cleaning the densely packed commercial areas of Dongseon-dong and walking around local landmarks over an 11-month period.

Mr. Lee (67, male), a participant in "Ssedam Ssedam Plogging," said, "Yodongnam started 15 months ago with clumsy cooking and awkward first meetings, but thanks to the efforts of the Community Security Council members, we have come this far," adding, "From now on, we will do our best to give back the care and love we received to the local community."

Lee Myung-bok, head of Dongseon-dong, said, "It is heartening to see volunteers and participants continue to communicate and contribute to the community even after the program ends, demonstrating the strength of the local community," and added, "We will continue to provide administrative support so that social networks among single-person households can be strengthened to support each other."