Gangdong-gu, Children's Autonomy Center 'Kkumiso' Progressing Smoothly

Shared Spaces for Seniors, Children, and Adolescents... Eliminating Care Blind Spots and Promoting 1st and 3rd Generation Harmony

Kkum Miso Branch No. 7 Established on the 2nd Floor of Guri Yaksoo Senior Center

[Asia Economy Reporter Jongil Park] Gangdong-gu (Mayor Lee Jeong-hoon) is expanding 'Kkum Miso,' a shared facility for seniors and children remodeled from senior centers, up to the 7th branch, strengthening the local care system and creating a city where children and adolescents can be happy.

The Children's Autonomy Center Kkum Miso is used as a senior center during the day and operates as a space exclusively for children and adolescents from 4 PM to 10 PM after the seniors return home.

The name was given with the hope that people would 'gain dreams and smiles' here, just as they used to get rice from the old neighborhood mill.

Kkum Miso is freely available without economic burden to any children and adolescents under 18 years old, excluding infants and toddlers. Unlike existing child facilities mainly focused on learning programs, it is a space where children plan and carry out activities they want to do themselves. To this end, a self-governing committee called Kkumjaengi, composed of children and adolescents, operates, and a guide teacher who supports after-school autonomous activities is also stationed.

Before establishment, opinions were gathered from actual users such as seniors and children to create a customized space suitable for both the 1st and 3rd generations.

The 7th branch, newly established on the 2nd floor of the Dunchon 2-dong Public Yaksu Senior Center (150-8 Jinhwang-ro, Gangdong-gu), also reflected the opinions of seniors, children, residents, and child welfare officials as much as possible, prioritizing user safety in the arrangement of furniture and other facilities.

Considering the physical characteristics of the elderly and children, universal design was applied to make it convenient for everyone regardless of gender or age, creating a creative space where children can rest, play, and freely engage in activities.

Lee Jeong-hoon, Mayor of Gangdong-gu, said, "'Kkum Miso' is a model case of Gangdong-type spatial welfare that supports the harmonious living of two families under one roof, the 1st and 3rd generations, and the healthy growth of children and adolescents." He added, "Following the areas of Gildong, Cheonho, Amsa, and Myeongil, the 7th branch was established in Dunchon-dong, and the 8th branch is being prepared in Sangil-dong. We plan to expand Kkum Miso to 12 locations by 2022."

The opening ceremony of Kkum Miso 7th branch has been tentatively postponed due to the impact of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), and operations will begin later while complying with quarantine guidelines according to the social distancing level.

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