[Interview] Ryugyeonggi Jungnang-gu Mayor "This Year’s Senior Budget Set at 234.4 Billion KRW... Creating a Healthy and Happy City for Seniors"

Opening of Jungnang-gu's First Senior Complex Cultural Space 'Hwarangmaeul Senior Center'... Support for Active Senior Life with Expanded Senior Job Opportunities and Unique Policies like 'Senior Health Management Model'

As of July this year, the elderly population aged 65 and over in South Korea has surpassed 10 million based on resident registration data. The population aged 65 and over in Jungnang-gu is approximately 81,000, ranking fourth in terms of the elderly ratio among the 25 autonomous districts.

Ryu Gyeong-gi, the mayor of Jungnang-gu, stated in an interview, “We are implementing projects for the elderly across various fields such as welfare, health, culture, and sports with the belief that the entire district’s happiness depends on the health and happiness of our senior citizens.” He added, “This year’s budget for the elderly was set at 234.4 billion won, an 11% increase from last year.”

On August 27, Mayor Ryu opened the ‘Hwarangmaeul Senior Center,’ the first senior complex cultural space in Jungnang-gu. Covering a total floor area of 487.7㎡ and five stories above ground, the center includes various facilities for the convenience of the elderly, such as a parking lot, senior citizens’ hall, multipurpose program room, Jungnang Senior Club, and rooftop rest area.

Mayor Ryu said, “We will utilize this public complex space to provide various senior job programs and multifunctional services such as rest areas, health management, exercise, leisure, and volunteer activities for the elderly.”

At the senior citizens’ hall, seniors can learn health gymnastics, dementia prevention programs, smartphone and kiosk usage. The ‘Elders’ Noriter,’ which offers hobby and leisure programs in unused spaces of the senior hall, provides a leisure space that can be used as a community room for club activities, socializing, and counseling for the elderly.

Additionally, centered around the Senior Club, seniors engage in social activities in various fields to prevent income gaps and social isolation, enabling them to spend their later years healthily and actively. This year, the number of participants was increased to a record high, selecting 3,068 participants, 619 more than last year. They work in four areas: public interest activities, social services, market-type, and employment referral, performing various tasks such as public facility maintenance, senior hall assistance, and operating silver cafes.

Furthermore, the district has established and is operating the first ‘Senior Health Management Model’ among autonomous districts. Developed in 2020 in collaboration with the Graduate School of Public Health at Seoul National University, this project targets seniors aged 65 and over. A nutritionist and an exercise therapist visit seniors’ homes in the community once a month for a total of three visits to provide health education. Education also includes step count monitoring, mushroom cultivation, and smartphone usage to help seniors manage their health in various ways. As a result, in the project evaluation meeting held in December last year, the satisfaction rate among seniors was 93.2%. The walking participation rate improved from 59.7% to 79.1%. This year, the service area expanded from 8 to 12 neighborhoods, with plans to cover the entire district by 2025.

For seniors with mobility difficulties, a team consisting of visiting nurses, private doctors, dentists, Korean medicine doctors, and pharmacists visits senior halls to provide one-on-one customized health consultations, chronic disease management, and professional education on preventing medication misuse.

Additionally, the Myeonmok Media Center operates a ‘Senior Video Production Class,’ while lifelong learning programs are actively conducted at neighborhood learning centers and lifelong learning centers, and community sports programs are held at resident sports facilities.

Mayor Ryu Gyeong-gi emphasized, “We will continue to devote more effort to supporting facilities and programs for seniors to properly care for the mothers and fathers of Jungnang, who lead us with their experience and wisdom, ensuring they live comfortably and well.”