Seongdong-gu, the Only District in Seoul Awarded the '2020 Korea Job Merit' Commendation

Ordinance Enacting for Essential Workers · Strengthening Supportive Employment Environment, High Praise for Supporting and Fostering Social Ventures in Seongsu-dong

[Asia Economy Reporter Jongil Park] Seongdong-gu (Mayor Jeong Won-oh) was honored on the 23rd as the only autonomous district in Seoul to be selected as the recipient of the Vice Chairman Commendation at the ‘2020 Korea Job Merit Awards’ hosted by the Presidential Committee on Jobs.

This commendation, organized by the Presidential Committee on Jobs, recognized institutions and individuals who played a leading role in job creation and quality improvement in 2020. Awards were given in four categories: local governments (5 awards), public institutions (5 awards), private companies (6 awards), and individuals (4 awards), totaling 20 awards.

Seongdong-gu was recognized for its efforts to strengthen employment quality and safety nets by enacting ordinances to protect and support ‘essential workers’ who risk their safety to maintain social functions during disasters such as COVID-19. The district also focused on the growth potential of social ventures centered in Seongsu-dong and promoted various policies to nurture and support social ventures.

Since enacting the nation’s first ordinance on the protection and support of essential workers in September, the district has been steadfastly advancing related projects. It formed the ‘Essential Workers Support Committee,’ comprising experts in welfare, care, childcare, health, and medical fields, to continuously discuss the scope of essential workers and support projects, as well as efforts to expand social policies.

Accordingly, the government-wide task force (TF) for ‘Policies and Systems for Essential Workers’ was launched in October, and just two months later, on the 14th, support measures were announced. Meanwhile, the National Assembly has proposed the ‘Essential Workers Protection Act.’

Seoul City also announced the enactment of an ordinance related to essential worker support and plans to establish the first dedicated organization among local governments to support essential workers.

Seongdong-gu completed the distribution of safety supplies such as masks and hand sanitizers to approximately 6,300 essential workers in the district in September and December.

Additionally, the district has devoted efforts to establishing administrative and financial systems and growth foundations for nurturing social ventures. In 2017, it became the first in the nation to establish a dedicated organization for social ventures, enact related ordinances, create a workspace for social venture companies called the ‘Social Venture Hub Center,’ and secure investment resources such as the 2 billion KRW Seongdong Impact Fund.

Alongside this, various employment and startup programs have been operated, and since 2017, the district has hosted the ‘Seoul Forest Social Venture EXPO,’ a festival for social innovators, for three consecutive years.

Jeong Won-oh, Mayor of Seongdong-gu, stated, “This 2020 Korea Job Merit Award recognizes the district’s efforts related to job creation and quality improvement, which are key priorities of the current government. Especially, the essential worker and social venture projects are initiatives that the district leads more proactively than anywhere else in the country. This brings both a sense of burden and deep responsibility, and we will continue to take the lead in building social safety nets and realizing social value through creative and practical job creation.”

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