Achieving Five Major Awards in Three Years: Setting a New Record
Seo-gu, Gwangju received the Grand Prize at the 30th Korea Local Autonomy Management Awards ceremony held at the Air Force Hall in Seoul on the 14th.
Seo-gu, Gwangju received the Grand Prize at the 30th Korea Local Autonomy Management Awards ceremony held at the Air Force Hotel on the 14th. Photo by Seo-gu, Gwangju
Seo-gu set a new record as the first to win the Grand Prize twice during the 8th popularly elected term, by receiving the Grand Prize again this year following last year’s award. The district has now achieved a total of five awards: the 2023 Grand Prize, the Resident Autonomy Prize, the 2024 Welfare and Health Prize, the Talent Development Prize, and this year’s Grand Prize, making it the most awarded district with five titles.
Seo-gu, Gwangju is the only district in the history of the Korea Local Autonomy Management Awards to achieve both the 'first ever' and 'most awarded' records within a single term.
Hosted by the Korea Institute of Public Autonomy, the Korea Local Autonomy Management Awards is the nation’s most prestigious local government award program. Established in 1996, it has developed alongside the 30-year history of local autonomy in Korea.
The awards comprehensively evaluate the administrative achievements of 226 basic local governments nationwide in six major areas: administrative innovation, culture and tourism, welfare and health, regional development, industrial economy, and climate and environment. The evaluation is conducted through quantitative and qualitative assessments, resident satisfaction surveys, and in-depth interviews to select the best local government each year.
Seo-gu was recognized for its innovative, resident-focused administrative policies across all evaluation areas. Since the launch of the 8th popularly elected term, Seo-gu has declared "Seo-gu, the Good City" as its city brand and has consistently pursued resident-centered governance focused on sharing, solidarity, and participation.
Notable achievements include: the nation’s first 100% designation of all administrative districts as alley-type shopping districts to revitalize the local alley economy; providing youth caregiver allowances to address welfare blind spots; establishing the Seo-gu-style smart integrated care system; and creating the nation’s first barefoot walking trail-all of which received high praise.
In particular, the "100% designation of alley-type shopping districts" has been cited as the top benchmarking case for local governments nationwide, and is regarded as a leading model for building a self-sustaining alley economy ecosystem and restoring local communities.
Seo-gu is also improving residents’ quality of life through its "Zero Welfare Blind Spots" policy, aimed at eliminating welfare gaps. Based on a public-private cooperative welfare safety net, the district has strengthened customized care services and support for vulnerable groups, and established a smart-based integrated care system, attracting nationwide attention.
Kim Ikang, Mayor of Seo-gu, stated, "Winning the Grand Prize this time is a valuable result of the innovation and change we have pursued since the launch of the 8th popularly elected term," adding, "We will continue to create a sustainable self-governing city that grows together with residents through Seo-gu’s unique and differentiated policies."
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