17 Seniors Participate
Open to Public Starting March Next Year
On December 15, Jung-gu District Office (headed by Mayor Kim Gilsung) announced that 'Yakhyeon,' a senior employment center, opened in Jungnim-dong, Jung-gu, Seoul on December 10. 'Yakhyeon' is the old name of Jungnim-dong and, utilizing the area's history as the birthplace of medicinal liquor (yakju), will be operated as a traditional liquor culture platform.
Kim Gilsung, Mayor of Jung-gu (fourth from the right), and officials are cutting the tape at 'Yakhyeon' on the 10th. Provided by Jung-gu.
The Yakhyeon center will be operated as a 'senior employment community project group,' where elderly participants work together to generate income and contribute to the local community. The Jungnim Social Welfare Center is in charge of operations, and the space was created with funding secured through the '2025 Seoul Senior Job Center Operation Support Contest.'
The center has been newly renovated on the second floor of the Jungnim Social Welfare Center, occupying 108.1 square meters (about 33 pyeong), and features a traditional liquor history exhibition hall, a hands-on brewing experience area, and an education room. Leveraging the symbolic significance of the area where medicinal liquor originated, it is designed as a multi-purpose space where visitors can learn about and enjoy traditional liquor culture.
Currently, a total of 17 seniors are participating at Yakhyeon, building expertise through comprehensive training in areas such as traditional liquor sommelier skills, traditional liquor interpretation, market trends, and brewing. After completing the training, they will take on various roles including providing historical explanations of traditional liquor, instructing brewing workshops, running tasting events, selling traditional liquor, and managing the store. The hourly wage is 10,400 won.
Yakhyeon operates from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays, with a focus on strengthening the capabilities of participating seniors until February next year. Starting in March, the center will open to citizens and tourists for a pilot operation of the traditional liquor exhibition, tastings, and sales, and from August, it plans to gradually expand programs such as hands-on brewing experiences.
Jungnim-dong is adjacent to major tourist attractions such as Seoul Station, Myeong-dong, Deoksugung, and Namsan, providing excellent accessibility for both domestic and international tourists. The district plans to attract more visitors by linking the center with the 'Seoul Jung-gu Tour Pass,' the first of its kind introduced among Seoul's autonomous districts.
Mayor Kim Gilsung stated, "In line with the era of super-aging, we will create quality jobs where seniors can find meaning and value, and expand opportunities for communication across generations."
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