Designation of 119 Alley-Type Shopping Districts, a First in the Nation
Declaration of Korea's Leading Alleyway Economy
Implementation of Customized Welfare, Including Youth Family Caregiver Allowance
As the Seo District of Gwangju Metropolitan City marks the third anniversary of its 8th popularly elected administration, it is establishing itself as a "Good City." Through resident-friendly policies that realize the values of sharing and solidarity, Seo District is presenting a new model for local autonomy.
In May last year, Seo District held a proclamation ceremony for its city brand, "Good City Seo District." Since then, by inheriting the spirit of noblesse oblige exemplified by Park Gwangok of the Joseon Dynasty and the solidarity of merchants at Yangdong Market during the 5·18 Democratization Movement, the district has been realizing a "city of positive influence" led by residents and supported by the administration.
This change, which began in the daily lives of residents, is bearing fruit across governance, the economy, welfare, and culture under the banner of "good policies."
In practice, Seo District has shifted the focus of administration to the "village," making genuine self-governance a reality. Through the direct text message line to the district mayor, "Baro Munja Harangke," it operates a system that responds to civil complaints within 48 hours. Over the past two years and ten months, more than 8,000 complaints have been processed, building trust with residents.
For the first time in the country, Seo District grouped its 18 neighborhoods into four zones and established a "hub-neighborhood and linked-neighborhood" collaboration system. It also developed unique brand identities (BI) and promoted specialized projects for each neighborhood, earning recognition as an outstanding institution in government innovation evaluations for eight consecutive years.
Seo District is also implementing practical policies to revitalize the local alleyway economy. Through the "Alley Economy 119 Project," it became the first in the nation to designate the entire district as an alley-type shopping area, making it possible to use Onnuri gift certificates in all areas. This allows up to a 20% discount in everyday businesses such as academies, beauty salons, and gas stations. Small business owners, who have seen an increase in sales, are demonstrating the potential of the "Seo District-style circular economy."
In addition, Seo District has built a welfare system in which both the public and private sectors participate to reduce welfare blind spots. The Seo District Honors, a group of major donors, attracted 83 members and 2.9 billion won in donation pledges within seven months. These funds are being used for practical projects such as enabling multicultural families to visit their home countries, holding joint weddings for people with disabilities, and providing bicycles for the visually impaired.
Seo District was the first in the country to enact an ordinance for the "Youth Family Caregiver Allowance," establishing a welfare model for young people that provides an annual allowance of 3 million won. This policy has been adopted as a pilot project by the central government.
Seo District is transforming the entire city into a healing space to promote walking, relaxation, and everyday healing. Including Geumdang Mountain, there are 32 barefoot walking trails totaling 8.7 kilometers, called "Maenballo," which are becoming platforms for resident health and communication.
Kim Ikang, Seo District Mayor, stated, "When good intentions come together, the city can also become warmer," adding, "We are realizing Seo District as a happy community created together through the positive influence of our residents."
He continued, "'Good City Seo District' cannot be achieved by administrative power alone," emphasizing, "Moving forward, we will continue to build an inclusive and happy community together, based on each resident's warm solidarity and action, so that no one is left behind."
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