‘Paju-si Signboard Culture School Since 2011’ Held

Realizing Paju's Unique Signboard Culture 'Sosodam' That Harmonizes Well with the Surrounding Scenery

Paju City, Gyeonggi Province (Mayor Kim Kyung-il) announced on the 11th that it held the ‘2024 Paju City Signboard Culture School Since 2011’ on the 6th at the multipurpose room of the Citizens’ Hall to establish an advanced advertising culture and create a healthy, clean, and high-quality city.

Paju City held the "2024 Paju City Signboard Culture School Since 2011" on the 6th at the Multipurpose Room of the Citizens' Hall to establish an advanced advertising culture and create a healthy, clean, and high-quality city, followed by a commemorative photo. Photo by Paju City

Now in its 12th year, the Paju City Signboard Culture School is an educational program designed to prevent illegal signboard installations through outdoor advertising law education and to support obtaining permits through legal procedures. Thanks to the active interest and participation of citizens, over 1,200 people have completed the Signboard Culture School since 2011.

The event began with the opening declaration by Jang Hye-hyun, head of the Architectural Design Division acting as the one-day principal, and an encouragement speech by Kim Jin-gi, deputy mayor of Paju City, with 66 participants including outdoor advertising business workers, public officials in charge of advertising, and citizens.

The classes were divided into theoretical and field education. In the first theoretical session held in the morning, Kim Jeong-su, director of the Korea Outdoor Advertising Policy Institute, served as the instructor and covered recent trends and civil complaint cases related to outdoor advertising under the theme ‘Understanding Outdoor Advertising Laws.’

In the following second theoretical session, the public official responsible for outdoor advertising explained Paju City’s eco-friendly outdoor advertising policies under the slogans ‘Eco-friendly OK’ and ‘Recycling Thank U,’ emphasizing the importance of mitigation and adaptation activities in response to the climate crisis.

The city also displayed outstanding works selected from the ‘15th Paju City Pretty Signboard Contest’ at the education venue to promote Paju City’s unique signboard culture called ‘Sosodam.’ Sosodam (小小淡) means that smaller and clearer signboards, rather than large ones, catch the eye by harmonizing well with the surrounding scenery.

In the afternoon, field education was conducted to enhance participants’ understanding. Participants moved to the ‘COEX Magok Le West Exhibition Hall’ to observe the vision of the circular economy industry, then visited the LG Art Center to view architecture and outdoor advertising exhibitions, providing an opportunity to see and learn about cases where the theoretical knowledge was applied in practice.

Mayor Kim Kyung-il of Paju City said, “The beauty and dignity of a city are completed by its owners?the citizens living within it?so communication and interest in signboards will be the foundation for improving Paju City’s beautiful landscape and urban design standards.” He added, “We will carry out various activities so that Paju City can present excellent signboard examples and become a city leading signboard culture.”