Seong Jang-hyun, Yongsan District Mayor, Receives 2020 Local Autonomy Development Award

On the 13th at Baekbeom Kim Koo Memorial Hall... Hosted by Korea Autonomy Development Institute... Recognized for achievements in welfare, cultural tourism, safety, and other fields

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Seong Jang-hyun, Mayor of Yongsan District, received the "2020 Korea Local Autonomy Development Award (Basic Local Government Head Category)" on the 13th at the Baekbeom Kim Koo Memorial Hall (26 Imjeong-ro, Yongsan-gu) Convention Hall.

This award recognized the achievements made in various areas of district administration, including welfare, cultural tourism, safety, and property management.

In welfare projects, the establishment and operation of the Yongsan Welfare Foundation drew attention. The foundation was launched in 2016 with a basic fund of 3.7 billion KRW and has secured 10.19 billion KRW to date. There are 7,237 regular resident sponsorship accounts. Major projects include building a sharing network, supporting low-income crisis families, and providing scholarships for youth. Over the past five years, approximately 10 billion KRW worth of donations and goods have been provided to welfare recipients such as marginalized groups.

In the cultural tourism sector, the opening of the Yongsan Craft Center received favorable reviews. The craft center has a total floor area of 2,800㎡: the first floor is a craft product sales area, the second floor houses workshops, the third floor is a craft learning center, and the fourth floor is a multipurpose room. Since its opening in 2018, it has served as a gateway to introduce Korean culture to domestic and international tourists visiting Itaewon. It has also become a role model for job creation and regional economic coexistence. Currently, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, only some facilities are in operation.

In the safety field, the establishment of the An-nyeong (Well-being) Network has received positive responses from residents. The goal is a society where people check on each other, a safe society, and a society where people can feel secure, achieved through cooperation among the public, private, and academic sectors. Through initiatives such as the An-nyeong Reaction Campaign and the youth summer vacation "An-nyeong Volunteer School," the district received the Minister of the Interior and Safety Award in 2019.

Additionally, Mayor Seong devoted great effort to infrastructure development, including expanding disaster prevention facilities in the Hangang-ro and Hannam-dong areas.

A district official stated, "Seong Jang-hyun is also known as a mayor who significantly increased district assets," adding, "Using the shared property management fund, which was the first of its kind nationwide in 2011, he achieved outstanding results in property management and utilization, such as establishing the Jeju Youth Hostel in 2017."

The Korea Local Autonomy Development Award is hosted by the Korea Local Autonomy Development Institute. Since 2017, the institute has been awarding local autonomy development awards to members of the National Assembly, heads of local governments, local council members, superintendents of education, and public officials.

Mayor Seong Jang-hyun expressed, "I have been tirelessly working for the past 10 years to innovate district administration," and added, "I will do my best during the remaining term so that residents can enjoy a better life."

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