Gangnam District to Implement 57 Resident-Focused Support Policies This Year

Opening of Complex Culture Centers and Expansion of Childcare Support

On January 14, Gangnam District in Seoul (District Mayor Cho Sungmyung) announced that it will newly implement 57 projects across five sectors this year to enhance residents' convenience and quality of life. The initiatives focus on resident life, jobs and economy, welfare, childcare and education, culture and sports, and urban environment and transportation, including 48 newly introduced projects and 9 expanded initiatives.

Gangnam District Office exterior. Provided by Gangnam District Office.

The resident life sector will focus on strengthening the convenience of administrative services. An artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot will be introduced on the district’s website, and an AI response system will be established by analyzing over 3,000 civil complaints related to apartment complexes. The budget for apartment complex facility improvements will increase from 1.4 billion won last year to 2.1 billion won this year. The Addiction Management Integrated Support Center, which opened in November last year, will begin full-scale operations.

The jobs and economy sector will emphasize expanding employment opportunities for residents and supporting small business owners and SMEs. The Job Integrated Support Center will provide public and private job information in one place, and various programs will be offered, including youth administrative internships, consulting for training mid- to senior-level AI experts, and pet qualification acquisition support.

Support for language and certification exam fees will be expanded to the largest scale among Seoul’s autonomous districts, increasing from 500 recipients last year to 1,500 this year. The SME internship support program will expand eligibility from companies with five or more regular employees to those with fewer than five employees.

The welfare, childcare, and education sector will focus on expanding tangible welfare benefits. Support for newlywed and youth monthly rent loan interest will be increased from 1.5 million won to 3 million won for newlyweds, and from 1 million won to 2 million won for youth. The income cap for newlyweds will be raised from 120 million won to 130 million won. A paternity leave incentive will be introduced, along with group liability insurance for individuals with developmental disabilities, and expanded support for shingles and pneumococcal vaccinations for those aged 65 and older, strengthening a customized welfare system that spans generations.

The culture and sports sector will focus on expanding local cultural infrastructure and sports programs. The Ilwon 1-dong, Gaepo 3-dong, and Suseo-dong Complex Culture Centers will open after completing construction. Sports programs will be offered in plazas and parks in five different regions, and registration for district sports facility courses will prioritize residents. The ‘Gangnam K-Beauty Festa’ will be held in conjunction with the Gangnam Festival.

The urban environment and transportation sector will promote improvements to the pedestrian environment and maintenance of living infrastructure. Construction will be carried out on Dosan-daero and Gangnam-daero to create ‘walkable streets,’ and the undergrounding of power and communication lines along the school route to Eonbuk Elementary School will be actively pursued.

Cho Sungmyung, Mayor of Gangnam District, stated, "With the new year, we will strive to create changes that everyone can feel across all sectors," adding, "We will actively reflect residents’ voices throughout the implementation process and pursue high-quality policies that can enhance the quality of life for our residents."