Experimental Regional Innovation to Bridge COVID-19 Socioeconomic Gaps

Geumcheon-gu Announces 2021 Geumcheon 1st Street Living Lab Project Contest... Addressing Social Polarization Issues Such as Educational and Information Gaps Caused by COVID-19... Support for About 2 Projects, Up to 30 Million KRW Each

[Asia Economy Reporter Jongil Park] Geumcheon-gu (Mayor Yuseong Hoon) will publicly recruit organizations to carry out the '2021 Geumcheon 1st Street Living Lab Project' from March 18 to April 2.

The 'Living Lab' refers to an 'everyday life innovation experiment' that solves daily problems, which have not been resolved by the public sector until now, through residents' new and creative ideas.

The theme for this Living Lab project call is 'Innovative experiments to resolve the COVID-19 livelihood gap.'

The district announced that it selected this theme to address issues of social polarization in the community caused by the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic this year, such as digital divide, educational divide, and information divide.

The district plans to support about two projects, with up to 30 million KRW per project through this call.

Organizations wishing to participate can download the application form from the Geumcheon-gu Office website's Notices and Announcements board, fill it out, and submit it by visiting the 7th floor of the Geumcheon-gu Office's Community Autonomy Division or by email (ysjeong@geumcheon.go.kr).

The selected organizations will sign an agreement with the district in May and carry out the project from June to December through a public-private cooperative governance method.

The district will provide individual consultations to help understand this call for projects. Residents (organizations) wishing to receive individual consultations can apply in advance to the Community Autonomy Division.

Meanwhile, last year, the district promoted the 'Geumcheon 1st Street Living Lab Project' to improve the local living environment by implementing the 'Zero Waste Life Project' and the 'Geumcheon-gu Gray Reduction Device Project,' which addressed urban landscape issues through public design and media art work.

Yuseong Hoon, Mayor of Geumcheon-gu, said, "The Living Lab Project, led by residents from problem identification to resolution, is a very meaningful experiment in community innovation," and added, "We will actively support it so that positive changes can be brought to Geumcheon based on residents' fresh ideas and the participation of various social actors."

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