Nowon District, Comprehensive Care and Administrative Excellence... "Top Welfare District"

Proving Four Major Welfare Achievements
Comprehensive Welfare Successes Across the Life Cycle, from Children to Young Adults

Nowon District in Seoul (District Mayor Oh Seungrok) announced on December 5 that it has solidified its status as the “top welfare district in the nation” by achieving consecutive results in four welfare sectors this year. The district attributed these achievements to its wide-ranging welfare initiatives that span the entire life cycle, including children, adolescents, and young adults, and to the balanced recognition it has received from both the central government and the Seoul Metropolitan Government.

Seongseo University Prospective Social Workers Visit Nowon District Office. Provided by Nowon District Office.

The most notable achievement was being selected as the only “Outstanding Local Government” among Seoul’s 25 districts in the 2025 Public Child Abuse Response System Evaluation, organized by the Ministry of Health and Welfare.

The district has strengthened its public role by directly operating its child protection agency and establishing the nation’s first shelter exclusively for infants and toddlers who are victims of abuse. Its comprehensive response system-from prevention to recovery-was highly rated, including enhanced expertise of dedicated child abuse officers, the establishment of cooperative systems with police, medical, and private organizations, and educational programs for university students who are prospective mandatory reporters.

In the youth sector, Nowon achieved top honors in three categories. The Nowon Youth Counseling and Welfare Center and the Out-of-School Youth Support Center were each recognized as outstanding institutions in youth counseling and welfare, comprehensive out-of-school youth support, and one-stop support for isolated and reclusive youth. As a result, they received a total of three ministerial awards from the Minister of Gender Equality and Family.

The Nowon Youth Counseling and Welfare Center was highly praised for providing seamless, multifaceted services-including counseling, case management, and emergency response-centered around the Nowon Youth Safety Net Integrated Support Center, the first of its kind in the nation. The Out-of-School Youth Support Center was recognized for its excellence in offering a one-stop support system that not only aids the independence and growth of out-of-school youth but also assists isolated and reclusive youth with daily life recovery, tailored services, and parental coaching.

Achievements continued in welfare services for the entire local community. The district won first place, receiving the “Grand Prize,” in the 2025 Local Autonomous Social Service Investment Project Evaluation conducted by the Seoul Metropolitan Government, ranking highest among 25 districts. Nowon received consistently high scores across 14 categories, including budget execution, voucher utilization rate, provider management, staff training completion rate, and user satisfaction.

Successes were also seen in the youth sector. The Nowon Youth Work-Life Center received the “Excellence Award” in the 2025 Youth Challenge Support Project Best Practices Contest, hosted by the Ministry of Employment and Labor. The center was recognized for its support structure that goes beyond simple employment assistance, addressing a range of situations such as long-term unemployment, not entering higher education, and social isolation, by providing psychological, emotional, and social network recovery, career exploration, and post-support management.

Oh Seungrok, Mayor of Nowon District, stated, “These achievements are evidence that Nowon’s welfare administration is moving in the right direction,” adding, “We will further strengthen Nowon’s comprehensive and warm protective system so that no one has to face difficulties alone.”