Opening of the Yongsan-gu Hangangno-dong Complex Facility

Opening Ceremony Held On-site at 3 PM on the 13th... 50 Attendees... Live Broadcast on YouTube... Full Operation of 5 Facilities Except Fitness Center Begins

Panoramic View of Hangangro-dong Complex Facility

[Asia Economy Reporter Jong-il Park] Yongsan-gu (District Mayor Seong Jang-hyun) will hold an opening ceremony for the Hangangno-dong Resident Convenience Complex Facility (Seobinggo-ro 17) at 3 p.m. on the 13th.

The event will last for one hour and proceed in the order of the national anthem, introduction of guests, progress report, congratulatory speech by the district mayor, ribbon cutting and commemorative photo, and facility tour. About 50 people, including District Mayor Seong Jang-hyun and Sookmyung Women's University President Jang Yoon-geum, are expected to attend.

Considering the COVID-19 situation, the district minimized the number of attendees. Instead, the event will be broadcast live on the district office's YouTube channel.

The Hangangno-dong Complex Facility is located in the International Building Surrounding District 4 (currently Yongsan Central Park Harrington Square). It was created as a 'resident welfare space' within the donation facilities of the urban environment maintenance project (public facility building, part of the office facility building). The facilities include a youth community space and youth startup support center (3rd-4th floors of the public facility building), Our Neighborhood Care Center, public indoor playground, shared childcare space (2nd floor of the office facility building), and an indoor fitness center (basement 1 of the public facility building).

◇Youth Support Spaces

First, the youth community space (Yongsan Youth Jium) is 710㎡ in size, making it the largest among similar facilities in Seoul. It is equipped with a book lounge, healing room, mini cinema, meeting rooms, shared kitchen, community hall, multipurpose studio, and exhibition room. A private consignment company was selected last month. The operating staff consists of five people, including the center director. Opening hours are from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on weekdays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays, and closed on Sundays and public holidays. Anyone aged 19 to 39 can use the facility free of charge (excluding rental fees). Various programs such as youth skill development and capacity building, youth community support, and local specialized projects will also be conducted.

The Youth Startup Support Center is also 710㎡. It is divided into startup incubation spaces, small meeting rooms, an operations office, a training room, and community spaces. The startup incubation space consists of 10 two-person rooms, 7 four-person rooms, and 11 open seats, allowing small and medium-sized startup companies to use the space efficiently. As of November, 19 companies are tenants of the center. On the 3rd, the district held a meeting with tenant companies to introduce the district's startup support programs, including a professional counseling center for young entrepreneurs and expert lectures by field. Tenant opinions were also heard. The facility is jointly operated by the district and the Sookmyung Women's University Campustown Project Group.

◇Child Welfare Spaces

Our Neighborhood Care Center (Yongsan-gu Branch No. 6) is a customized care facility for elementary school students aged 6 to 12. It is 143㎡ in size and staffed by four professionals caring for 40 children. Operating hours are from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. during the school term and extended from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. during vacations. Residents wishing to use the center can apply through the 'Seoul Our Neighborhood Care Portal.' Applications can also be made by visit or phone. A district official said, “Hourly temporary care is available if needed,” and “Various educational programs such as yoga, math, and art will be offered according to children's needs.”

The public indoor playground, 'Dodam Dodam Indoor Playground,' began pilot operation earlier this month. It covers 294㎡ and is open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. The target users are children aged 7 to 10 (accompanied by a guardian), with a maximum of 36 people per session. After the pilot operation, the target users and capacity will be finalized. During the pilot period, only groups (local kindergartens, child welfare facilities, daycare centers, etc.) can use the playground Monday through Friday. Improvements in quarantine and safety will be made, and the playground will be opened to general children next month. The usage fee is 1,000 KRW per person (both children and guardians).

The Shared Childcare Space is a care and play area for preschool children under 8 years old. It serves as a hub facility for creating a local childcare community, covering 144㎡ with a program room, play area, and nursing room. The capacity is 15 people, and usage is free (program fees may apply). The Shared Childcare Space is operated by the Yongsan-gu Healthy Family and Multicultural Family Support Center. The center plans to focus on developing parent participation programs and fostering a cooperative childcare community.

Community Convenience Complex Dodam Dodam

◇Fitness Space

In the basement of the public facility building, there is also a fitness space available for residents and office workers. It is named the 'Hangangno Fitness Center.' It consists of a gym, table tennis room, group exercise room (GX room), and changing/shower rooms, covering a total area of 666㎡. The district's facility management corporation operates it. However, due to ongoing concerns about community infections through gyms, the opening schedule of the fitness center will be reconsidered later.

Yongsan District Mayor Seong Jang-hyun said, “We would like to hold a grand opening ceremony for the Hangangno-dong Resident Convenience Complex Facility, but the situation does not allow it,” and added, “Since this facility was created with the district's utmost effort, we hope residents will show great interest and use it actively.”

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