Seodaemun-gu's 'Singihan Noliteo Creation' Recognized as Top Policy

Awarded the Grand Prize, the Highest Honor, at the 5th Korea Local Autonomy Policy Awards... Praised for Policy Effectiveness, Creativity, and Presenting a Public-Private-Expert Governance Model

[Asia Economy Reporter Jong-il Park] Seodaemun-gu (Mayor Moon Seok-jin) recently won the highest award, the "Grand Prize," at the 5th Korea Local Autonomy Policy Awards for its "Amazing Playground," created through public-private cooperation.

This award, now in its fifth year, is given to outstanding policies from local governments nationwide that improve residents' lives and promote public interest. It is sponsored by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety and the Korea Association of Mayors, Governors and District Heads.

The chairperson of the judging panel was Kim Soon-eun, Chairperson of the Presidential Committee on Autonomy and Decentralization. Seodaemun-gu was the only autonomous district nationwide to receive the grand prize after evaluations in two rounds by autonomous districts, cities, counties, and metropolitan local governments.

Seodaemun-gu's Amazing Playground was highly praised for its planning intent, policy effectiveness, creativity, and especially for presenting a public-private-expert cooperative governance model aimed at creating a user-centered playground.

The district opened the first Amazing Playground "Ttegul Ttegul" last November at the foot of Goeunsan Mountain along Hongjecheon Stream (San 41-30, Hongje-dong), followed by the second playground "Yaho Yaho" last month, located further upstream.

Notably, children directly contributed ideas for these playgrounds. The district recruited child designers and held design workshops to realize spaces desired by children. A "Children's Supervisory Group" was also operated to conduct pre-experiences of play facilities and actively reflect children's wishes.

The working group, which included members of the Seodaemun Cooperation Council's childcare subcommittee and playground and early childhood education experts, held successive meetings to enhance the playgrounds' completeness.

As a result, the first playground "Ttegul Ttegul," focused on infants and toddlers, features a sand play area over 50cm deep, a stream water play station, a hill slide, a natural wood walking path, and foot washing stations. The second playground "Yaho Yaho," designed for upper-grade elementary school children, includes a zipline, adventure slide, space net, trampoline, and rock climbing wall.

Through the creation of these playgrounds, a site previously damaged by illegal dumping and unauthorized farming has been completely transformed, resolving a long-standing community concern.

At the awards ceremony held on the 27th of last month at the Kensington Hotel Central Park Hall in Yeouido, Mayor Moon Seok-jin of Seodaemun-gu said, "Just as important as creating playgrounds is their operation, which will also be carried out through public-private cooperation. We hope that this award will help spread know-how for creating playgrounds that are even more loved by children."

The district plans to create the third Amazing Playground next year at the foot of Baekryeonsan Mountain in Hong Eun-dong, based on the same public-private-expert cooperative governance model.

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