Moon Seok-jin, Mayor of Seodaemun-gu, "Doing Our Best to Create an Inclusive Educational City"

Seodaemun-gu Holds New Year's Meeting on the 16th to Pledge Dedication for the New Year

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Seodaemun-gu (Mayor Moon Seok-jin) held the 2020 New Year's Greeting Meeting on the 16th at the 6th-floor auditorium of the district office, with over 2,000 attendees including residents, representatives of professional organizations, local small business owners, and various dignitaries, reaffirming its commitment to realizing a ‘sustainable future-oriented city.’

In his New Year's address, Mayor Moon Seok-jin introduced the vision of creating an inclusive educational city, supporting work-family balance, expanding community-oriented complex facilities, fostering a pleasant and eco-friendly environment, and establishing a smart and safe city, sharing a consensus with residents for regional development in the new year.

Additionally, former Minister of Industry and Resources Jang Jae-sik, National Assembly members Woo Sang-ho and Kim Young-ho, Seoul Metropolitan Council Chairman Shin Won-chul, Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education Superintendent Cho Hee-yeon, Yonsei University President Kim Yong-hak, and Ewha Womans University President Kim Hye-sook offered New Year's greetings, wishing for residents' happiness and regional progress.

Various residents including children and parents, high school students, sanitation workers, youth housing tenants, university students preparing for employment, village bus drivers, and traditional market merchants also expressed their hopes for the new year.

Notably, the entire process was succinctly conducted through a pre-produced video screening, receiving positive responses from attendees.

Starting with this New Year's Greeting Meeting, Seodaemun-gu will accelerate various projects in the new year. To create an ‘inclusive educational city,’ the budget for educational expenses will be more than doubled to improve the quality of public education services. Furthermore, in preparation for the Fourth Industrial Revolution era, a lifelong learning center and a convergence talent education center equipped with advanced facilities will be operated.

To support ‘work-family balance,’ the district will expand national and public daycare centers and part-time childcare facilities, operate regional Kiwoom Centers, integrate senior care institutions, and work on establishing a care delivery system and improving welfare accessibility.

For the ‘expansion of community-oriented complex facilities,’ the district will develop the Cheonnyeon-dong National Sports Center, Bukahyeon Cultural and Sports Center, and Gajaeul Digital Media Library, as well as build a public postpartum care center and a maternal and child health center.

Additionally, the district will revitalize the area through the construction of the Hongje Underground Pedestrian Network and the restructuring of Sinchon Station Plaza, and solve parking issues by complexifying Seoyeon Middle School and creating a parking lot at Doknipmun Children's Park.

Moreover, to foster a ‘natural-friendly environment,’ the district will expand the distribution of solar mini power plants, participate in the construction of the Eunpyeong Metropolitan Resource Circulation Center to respond to the anticipated waste crisis, create the Mulbit Road and Hongjecheon Public Art Museum, and promote forest ecosystem restoration and trail maintenance.

For the ‘smart and safe city,’ the district will expand designated child protection zones, install speed warning systems and LED signboards, prevent safety accidents through the operation of a building safety center, and provide customized health management services via a health management center.

In addition, Seodaemun-gu plans to strengthen public-private communication and cooperation by expanding the resident autonomy councils, which were piloted last year, to all 14 neighborhoods, and increase the resident participation budget projects to a total scale of 2 billion won this year.

At the New Year's Greeting Meeting, Mayor Moon Seok-jin of Seodaemun-gu also expressed his ambition, stating, “We will fully support the passage of the complete revision of the Local Autonomy Act and, through the strengthened solidarity among local governments established at the Autonomy Decentralization Expo, we will continue to take the lead in realizing local decentralization.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.