Companion Store for Jjokbangchon Residents Opens in Yeongdeungpo After Seoul Station and Donuidong
Agreement Ceremony Held with Sponsor Hite Jinro
Residents' Lounge Added, Shower and Laundry Facilities Upgraded for Jjokbangchon Residents
The third branch of Seoul City's companion store for jjokbangchon residents, "Ongkichang," has opened. At Ongkichang, daily necessities donated by sponsors are displayed in the store, and jjokbangchon residents can take items within the limits of their allocated points. Previously, Ongkichang had been operating in the Seoul Station jjokbangchon and Donuidong jjokbangchon areas.
On the 23rd, Seoul City announced that it held an opening ceremony for the third Ongkichang location in the Gyeongin-ro area of Yeongdeungpo-gu. The event was attended by Seoul Mayor Oh Sehoon, Kim Youngok, Chairperson of the City Council's Health and Welfare Committee, and Choi Hogwon, Mayor of Yeongdeungpo-gu, among others.
Last year, Seoul Mayor Oh Sehoon visited the Ongkichang shelter in Donuidong, Jongno-gu, to inspect supplies. Photo by Asia Economy DB
Ongkichang is a place where jjokbangchon residents can conveniently receive essential goods, and it operates with a demand-tailored distribution system. Since the introduction of Ongkichang, the first-come, first-served and queuing system for distributing sponsored goods to jjokbangchon residents has been eliminated. In addition, the inconvenience of long waits in line, decreased self-esteem, duplicate receipt of goods, and the difficulties faced by those who are vulnerable or have mobility issues during the distribution process have all been greatly improved.
At the opening ceremony, a signing ceremony was also held with Hite Jinro, which will sponsor the "Vitamin Project" to be conducted at the third Ongkichang branch. In addition, NH Investment & Securities, which has been supporting jjokbangchon residents, donated 20 million won, and Korea Management Association Consulting contributed 10 million won. The "Ongkichang Vitamin Project" is a sponsorship program (worth 50 million won annually) in which Hite Jinro delivers a package of fresh food worth 7,000 won to 700 people once a month. This project targets jjokbangchon residents, 90% of whom live alone and have limited cooking facilities, making it difficult for them to consume seasonal foods. Since 2013, Hite Jinro has been consistently supporting jjokbangchon residents with supplies for coping with heat waves, such as bottled water, and by providing support for public air conditioner electricity bills.
After the opening ceremony, Mayor Oh and local residents participated in the "Ongki Sharing Campaign," where they donated items they had brought. Through the campaign, which was held for ten days ahead of the opening of the third Ongkichang branch, a box of 100 disposable razors, more than 40 items including fans, and other supplies were collected and will be distributed evenly to jjokbangchon residents this summer.
The third Ongkichang branch in Yeongdeungpo has expanded its facilities by adding a residents' lounge, where people can wait at tables and chairs and prepare simple meals using a microwave, in addition to the existing product display area. New convenience facilities such as shower rooms and laundry rooms have also been installed. Previously, there was only one unisex shower room with two shower stalls, but now the shower rooms are separated by gender and each has four shower stalls. Two washing machines and two dryers were newly installed with support from Shinhan Bank.
After the opening ceremony of the Yeongdeungpo Ongkichang branch, Mayor Oh visited the jjokbangchon to inspect measures for protecting vulnerable residents during the summer heat. He checked the operation of public air conditioners in jjokbangchon, the cooling fog system in alleyways, and reviewed the cooperation system for heat response activities such as nighttime heat shelters and fire hydrant water spraying. He also looked into the home-visit nursing service for vulnerable residents to prevent heat-related illnesses. Mayor Oh stated, "Ongkichang is not just about providing necessary goods, but is an act of consideration that protects the self-esteem and dignity of jjokbangchon residents. That is why it is called the 'happiness warehouse' and receives such great support and love. Going forward, we will continue to carefully look after not only the lives but also the hearts of jjokbangchon residents and develop policies that truly meet their needs."
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