The First Local Government Event at Yongsan Park in 116 Years... The 27th Yongsan Residents' Day Ceremony

Yongsan-gu to Hold Residents' Day Ceremony at Yongsan Park on the 16th... Promoting Community Friendship and Harmony... Residents' Awards Presentation, Commemorative and Congratulatory Speeches... Traditional Korean Music Performance to Follow... Available for Viewing on YouTube

[Asia Economy Reporter Jong-il Park] The Yongsan US military base (Yongsan Park), which returned to our possession after 116 years, will host the first official local government event since the establishment of the government.

Yongsan-gu (Mayor Seong Jang-hyun) has decided to hold the ‘27th Yongsan Residents' Day Commemoration Ceremony’ on the 16th at the open area of Yongsan Park (former Officers' Quarters Complex 5, 221 Seobinggo-ro).

The event aims to create a space for resident harmony and friendship. However, considering the COVID-19 situation, the district will conduct the event in a non-face-to-face format, minimizing attendance to 100 people. Mayor Seong Jang-hyun, city and district council members, award recipients of the Residents' Award, youth policy advisory group, and foreign honorary community leaders are expected to attend.

General residents can watch the event live on the district office’s YouTube channel.

The ceremony will last 40 minutes and proceed in the order of opening declaration, national anthem, introduction of guests, promotional video screening, Residents' Award presentation, commemorative speech, and congratulatory remarks.

This year’s 27th Residents' Award recipients are ▲Filial Piety Award - Jeon Hyeong-ja (Wonhyo 1-dong) ▲Volunteer Award - Park An-soon (Ichon 2-dong) ▲Cooperation Award - Lee Yang-il (Huam-dong) ▲Model Family Award - Seo Seon-im (Seobinggo-dong) ▲Special Award - Jiwoong Scholarship Foundation, Korea Petroleum Industry Co., Ltd., and Paris Croissant Seoul Station Branch.

Notably, Ms. Jeon Hyeong-ja was honored with the Filial Piety Award for exemplifying devotion by caring for her mother-in-law suffering from aftereffects of a traffic accident and her brother-in-law with a brain lesion disability, while actively participating in various volunteer activities in the community. Mr. Lee Yang-il received high praise from the judges for leading regional harmony efforts, including the establishment of ‘Huam Residents' Day.’

A plaque engraved with the recipient’s portrait or company logo will be awarded to the winners. No monetary prize will be given.

Mayor Seong Jang-hyun will express gratitude to residents for their efforts in overcoming COVID-19 during his commemorative speech and introduce key district policies such as the complete development of Yongsan Park, setting history straight, establishing a dementia-safe village, expanding Care SOS Center services, operating Youth Voice and Youth Startup Support Centers, creating a child-friendly city, promoting lifelong learning, harmonious development, and revitalizing the local economy.

Following the ceremony, the Hanmaeum Festival ‘Korean Traditional Music Performance’ will take place. Renowned singers Jeong Sin-ye, Choi Jin-sook, and Jo Ju-seon will perform Sanjo Byeongju, Yukjabaegi, and Heungtaryeong.

Mayor Seong Jang-hyun of Yongsan-gu said, “We are holding the first official local government event since the establishment of the government at Yongsan Park, which has returned to us after 116 years since the Russo-Japanese War and the signing of the Japan-Korea Protocol in 1904. Although we cannot gather residents in large numbers this year due to COVID-19 prevention measures, we hope many will show interest and affection through YouTube.”

Yongsan Residents' Day commemorates October 18, 1946, when the administrative district ‘Seoul Special City Yongsan-gu’ was first established. The district has held the ceremony annually around October 18 since 1994.

The former Officers' Quarters Complex 5 of the US military base is a site returned from the US military in 1986, where the Korea Land and Housing Corporation (LH) built US military rental housing. It was first opened to the public in August, but some indoor facilities have been closed due to COVID-19.

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