Mayor Lee Byungseon Visits Financial Institutions to Encourage Participating Seniors
Lee: "The Elderly Are a New Engine of Growth, Not Just a Retired Generation... Customized Employment Initiatives Will Continue"
The customized senior employment project being promoted by Sokcho City, Gangwon Province, in response to the aging population, is attracting attention in the local community.
Lee Byungseon, mayor of Sokcho City, visited four of the seven local financial institutions participating in the "Senior Financial Services Support Project" on the 15th to directly inspect the working conditions of the elderly participants and public reactions, followed by a commemorative photo. Provided by Sokcho City
On September 15, Sokcho City Mayor Lee Byungseon visited four of the seven local financial institutions participating in the "Senior Financial Services Support Project" to directly inspect the working conditions of the participating seniors and the public’s response, as well as to listen to a report on the overall progress of the project.
The "Senior Financial Services Support Project" is a new senior employment policy planned by Sokcho City for 2025. The aim is to provide practical assistance to financially vulnerable groups while expanding opportunities for social participation among the elderly. Currently, 14 seniors have been assigned to seven local financial institutions, where they perform various tasks from 9 a.m. to noon, including assisting with ATM usage, helping with voucher completion, and conducting financial fraud prevention campaigns.
During his visits, Mayor Lee greeted the seniors and encouraged their efforts, saying, "You are carrying out essential roles in our community with greater diligence than anyone else." He also remarked, "This project, in which seniors provide necessary services to citizens, serves as a meaningful model for intergenerational coexistence."
Sokcho City regards this project not simply as a senior employment initiative, but as the first step toward building a "senior economic ecosystem" within the local community.
Mayor Lee emphasized, "In an aging society, seniors are not merely recipients of welfare, but can become new engines of local economic growth based on their ample abilities and experience. Sokcho City is working to make this a reality by developing a variety of customized projects."
Lee Byungseon, mayor of Sokcho City, visited four of the seven local financial institutions participating in the 'Senior Financial Services Support Project' on the 15th, shaking hands with the elderly participants. Provided by Sokcho City
In fact, Sokcho City has been moving beyond simple manual labor-based senior employment projects, developing and implementing sustainable and strategic employment policies. Strategic initiatives include the "Youth Reporter Group," in which seniors produce promotional content for senior employment, and the "Haeomi Badahyanggi Blanket Laundry Room" project, which supports laundry services for vulnerable groups and contributes to the goal of zero solitary deaths in the city. These projects encourage seniors to play active roles in the community based on their experience and wisdom.
By the end of this year, Sokcho City plans to thoroughly analyze the project’s outcomes and, in addition to increasing the number of participating institutions, expand the senior employment model into various areas such as welfare, culture, and administration.
Mayor Lee Byungseon stated, "The daily lives of citizens are becoming more convenient thanks to the efforts of our seniors, and at the same time, the seniors themselves are finding purpose and fulfillment, establishing a virtuous cycle. Going forward, Sokcho City will continue to develop more sophisticated and high-quality policies so that seniors can become reliable members leading our community, rather than simply being regarded as a retired generation."
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