"Our Neighborhood's Needed Projects Proposed and Led by Residents"

Jongno-gu Announces '2020 Uri Maeul Support Project' Contest Where Residents Propose Projects Addressing Village Needs and Common Interests

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Jongno-gu (District Mayor Kim Young-jong) is calling for applications for the '2020 Jongno-gu Our Village Support Project,' which encourages residents to identify necessary tasks and common interests in their neighborhood to contribute to the recovery and revitalization of urban village communities.

The target projects must be based on the district's priority initiatives and include content that allows residents to solve local issues independently and contribute to community revitalization.

The application fields include ▲Health ▲Urban Horticulture ▲Culture ▲Education, among others.

Eligibility is for groups or organizations of three or more residents who live or work in Jongno-gu. Families are considered as one person, and foreigners with a foreign registration card are also eligible to participate. However, if a person participates as a lead proposer or practitioner in one project, they cannot participate as a lead proposer or practitioner in another project simultaneously.

The application period is from January 23 to February 5.

Applications can be submitted online through the Seoul Village Community Comprehensive Support Center website. Required documents include a project proposal, project plan, group introduction, resident participant signature list, and self-reliance plan. Forms can be downloaded from the Jongno-gu Office website.

Project evaluations are scheduled for February to March and will go through a three-stage review process: first, a public-private evaluation panel; second, the Village Community Committee review; and third, the Jongno-gu Local Subsidy Deliberation Committee review.

The announcement of selected projects will be posted on the Jongno-gu website in March and individual notifications will be sent. Selected applicants are required to attend training sessions in March and October covering project direction, accounting, and settlement methods.

Upon selection, each project will receive support ranging from 3 million to a maximum of 10 million KRW for expenses such as publicity, printing, consumable supplies, and food (refreshments). Support is not provided for office rent, labor costs, or facility fees. The self-contribution rate varies depending on the project’s year: at least 10% for the first year and at least 15% from the second year onward.

Consultations related to the call for applications are available until February 5 at the Jongno-gu Village Autonomy Center (☎2148-3943). Anyone interested can receive detailed information about the project and guidance on how to write proposals.

Prior to this call, the district held a resident briefing session on village community projects on the 22nd in the district office multipurpose room. The session provided comprehensive information on the projects planned for the year, including target projects, support amounts, evaluation criteria, application methods, required documents, and accounting procedures.

District Mayor Kim Young-jong stated, “I hope many residents who have a deep affection for their neighborhood will participate to help solve local issues and enjoy village life. We will steadily promote various village community projects proposed by residents to realize ‘Jongno, a participatory customized city.’”

Jongno-gu plans to expand operations this year for sustainable village community creation through projects such as ‘Alley Making,’ which focuses on alleys as hubs, and ‘Youth Village Making,’ which views the village from the perspective of youth to address local issues.

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