[Interview] Kim Young-jong, Jongno District Mayor, "Promoting 'Jongno Urban Master Plan 2100' Looking 100 Years Ahead"

Proactive COVID-19 Response, Establishing a Safe and Healthy Urban System... Designing a City with a 100-Year Vision, Continuously Establishing Jongno's Identity... Creating Green Spaces, Continuing the 'Garden City Jongno' Initiative

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] “To create a people-centered premium city, I have worked with Jongno-gu staff with a focus on residents' happiness and safety under the belief of ‘starting small, slowly, but properly.’”

In an interview with this publication, Kim Young-jong, Mayor of Jongno-gu, said, “This year marks the 11th year since I have been administering with the craftsmanship spirit of a master craftsman to make Jongno safe. Although we have been going through difficult times due to COVID-19 since last year, I am grateful to the residents for fighting well.” He added, “This year, we will continue the work we have been doing and, as in the previous year, protect residents from infectious diseases, focus on vulnerable groups, and create a Jongno-gu where health and hope can be achieved.”

When COVID-19 first began to spread, Jongno-gu responded proactively, even ahead of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency’s manual.

This was because the daily floating population reaches 2 million, and the proportion of elderly residents is higher than in other districts, making it difficult to respond if the virus spread in the community. Immediately after the outbreak, elderly welfare centers and senior citizen centers were closed, and assemblies and protests in downtown Jongno were banned to prevent the spread of COVID-19. A special quarantine volunteer group was formed to thoroughly disinfect various areas in the district.

To support small business owners, an additional supplementary budget of 3.4 billion KRW was allocated last year. Low-interest loans were provided to businesses affected by COVID-19, and local tax collection and delinquency enforcement were deferred, among other support measures. Mayor Kim said, “Through this COVID-19 experience, I realized once again that the most important thing is to protect the health and jobs of our residents.”

This year, Jongno-gu plans to focus on the most urgent tasks: infectious disease prevention, job creation, and protection of vulnerable groups. To strengthen expertise in infectious diseases, a Disease Prevention Division will be established within the public health center to actively provide health care services. Additional walking trails will be created to foster an environment where residents can manage their daily health.

Furthermore, public jobs will be created, and resident employment support education will be greatly expanded. To ensure that vulnerable groups in our society do not lose hope, a Care SOS Center will be established within the community service centers, enabling anyone to receive care services at home.

At the same time, recognizing the need for long-term urban planning looking ahead 100 years, the “Jongno Urban Master Plan 2100” will be promoted. This plan will broadly cover physical spatial aspects reflecting regional characteristics as well as non-physical sectors such as economy, industry, and environment, laying the cornerstone for Jongno-gu’s century-long future.

Also, with the belief that children are the future of Jongno-gu, an environment will be created where children can develop their capabilities through fostering prestigious educational institutions and supporting future industry education. Admission preparation funds will be provided to all middle, high school, and special school entrants to create an equitable learning environment.

To reduce fine dust, road cleaning and indoor air quality improvement projects will be carried out, and green spaces will be created even in small surrounding areas, continuing the “Garden City Jongno” initiative. While practicing the “1-1-1 Movement,” where one person reduces one ton of greenhouse gases annually, one million trees will be planted throughout the city to create a clean environment, with Jongno leading carbon neutrality by 2050.

Jongno-gu possesses abundant historical and cultural assets and is the most Korean city in the country, imbued with the dignity and pride of the nation’s heritage.

This year, the steadily promoted Korean (Han) cultural projects will be systematized by incorporating Hanbok, Hanok, Hansik, Hangeul, Hanji, traditional Korean music, and traditional Korean games into school education programs. A culture of enjoying traditional culture in daily life will be fostered, and rest and healing spaces will be expanded throughout Jongno.

The closed trails and forest paths above Samcheong Park on the south side of the Bugaksan Hanyangdoseong will be maintained. The section connecting Buam-dong’s Bugaksan open area, opened last November, and Samcheong-dong will be linked. Additionally, benches and traditional pavilions will be added throughout parks and streets to create a safe and relaxing environment.

Mayor Kim Young-jong said, “Although COVID-19 has been exhausting and difficult, I ask residents to be patient and actively participate as the main agents of quarantine by practicing social distancing and following quarantine rules. Jongno-gu will also do its best to create a safe and secure Jongno where residents can live with peace of mind.”

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