Gangdong-gu in Seoul has newly developed "Myeongil Square," located at the center of the Myeongil-dong private education district, into a safe and pleasant open space for both youth and local residents. This project is especially meaningful as it goes beyond simple environmental improvements and has been created as a "space for everyone" with direct participation from both young people and community members.
Myeongil Square is the central hub of Gangdong-gu's prominent private education district, where more than 120 academies and 25 elementary, middle, and high schools are concentrated. However, the area had long suffered from various complaints due to narrow walkways, outdated facilities, illegal parking, and a generally dark atmosphere, which led to issues such as smoking and littering. In fact, over the past three years, the majority of reported issues involved requests for crackdowns on illegal parking, reports of youth smoking and violence, and illegal dumping of trash.
In response, Gangdong-gu was selected for the 2023 Seoul City Urban Landscape Project and invested a total of 1 billion won, including 500 million won in city funding, to renovate the square. During the project, more than 20 briefings and workshops were held, led by the "Naetteutdaero Academy Street Council," which consists of students, parents, residents, teachers, merchants, police officers, and public officials. The opinions of actual users were actively reflected in the design.
In particular, the project aimed to address existing problems such as unauthorized bicycle parking, illegal parking, smoking, and blocked sightlines from the investigation and design stages. The flower bed borders were removed, tall trees were preserved as much as possible, and shrubs were trimmed to improve visibility. Design fences were installed to prevent illegal parking, and the layout was improved so that trash could not be hidden. New lighting was installed in the square, and curved benches and hill-shaped rest areas were added to encourage people to spend more time there.
According to a resident survey, positive feedback included comments such as "It is much brighter than before, and I am satisfied because children can use it safely," and "I am less worried about children's safety when they return home."
Going forward, Gangdong-gu plans to continue regular joint safety campaigns and inspections involving the public, local authorities, and police, centered on the "Naetteutdaero Academy Street Council," to prevent disorderly behavior and strengthen a resident-participatory management system.
Lee Soohee, Mayor of Gangdong-gu, stated, "I hope Myeongil Square will become more than just a resting place and will be established as 'our space for everyone' where youth and residents can relieve daily fatigue and interact with each other," adding, "We will continue to reflect residents' voices and create a living environment that everyone is satisfied with."
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