[Interview] Ryoo Kyung-gi, Jungnang-gu Mayor, "Bang Jeong-hwan Education Support Center as an Educational Hub Connecting Schools, Families, and Communities"

Seoul's Largest Autonomous District Bang Jeong-hwan Education Support Center Established as Jungnang Education Control Tower... Education Expense Support Expanded from 3.8 Billion to 7 Billion Won Since Inauguration, Ranked 3rd Among Districts... '1000 Books Before School' Program Receives High Community Response... Belief That Reading Habits Are the Best 'Educational Infrastructure'

[Asia Economy Reporter Jong-il Park] “I believe that the most urgent task to be addressed for the future of Jungnang is strengthening the educational foundation.”

Ryu Gyeong-gi, Mayor of Jungnang-gu, said this in an interview with this publication, emphasizing that since the beginning of his 7th term, he has consistently stressed and implemented investments in the education sector.

As a result, the efforts over the past three years are gradually becoming visible. The Bang Jeong-hwan Education Support Center, which opened on the 4th of last month, is a representative outcome born from the mayor’s determination to expand the educational foundation and the residents’ aspirations.

Mayor Ryu explained, “Sofa Bang Jeong-hwan, a prominent figure in Seoul’s history and culture, rests in Manguri Park, a representative historical and cultural park in Jungnang-gu. We named the center with the hope that it would inherit his educational philosophy and become an education support center where children and youth can freely pursue their dreams and hopes.”

The Bang Jeong-hwan Education Support Center, boasting the largest scale among Seoul’s autonomous districts, will serve as an educational hub linking schools, families, and local communities. The center, spanning from two basement floors to seven above ground, includes self-directed learning rooms, a 4th Industrial Revolution experience hall, a career and job experience center, and a book caf?. To design the space and operate optimal programs, more than 40 meetings were held with parents, schools, and local education stakeholders, who communicated and collaborated from the planning stage to create the center together with residents.

The center offers school-linked programs supporting students, as well as admission and career programs. It also provides capacity-building, humanities education, and child guidance programs for parents, complementing areas that schools find difficult to cover. In particular, through regular management by university student mentors and education experts across school life and student activities, the center plans to guide local students in setting career directions and help improve their learning abilities.

Since its opening, the center has received great responses from local residents with special lectures by notable figures on self-directed learning, the 4th Industrial Revolution, and humanities, as well as career support programs, marking a successful start.

Alongside this, Mayor Ryu is significantly expanding educational expense support to improve the educational environment and strengthen students’ educational capabilities. He proudly stated, “The educational budget, which was 3.8 billion KRW at the time of my inauguration, has been increased annually and reached 7 billion KRW this year. This ranks third among Seoul’s 25 autonomous districts and first when compared to financial independence.”

Mayor Ryu Gyeong-gi expressed his determination not to be satisfied with this and announced plans to expand the budget to 8 billion KRW in 2022, aiming to leap forward as an educational city satisfying both students and parents through the highest level of educational investment among autonomous districts.

Above all, Mayor Ryu emphasizes “Reading Jungnang.” “I firmly believe that the foundation and starting point of education is reading,” he stresses. This conviction is reflected in the public libraries established throughout Jungnang-gu. Five libraries, including Yangwon Forest Library and Jungnang Sangbong Library, have opened, and large-scale public library projects are underway, such as the public library in the Jungnang 2-dong complex building and the Myeonmok Yusuji Culture and Sports Complex Center (library).

The “Reading 1,000 Books Before School” project, which Mayor Ryu is most passionate about, has attracted over 4,000 children, with 85 of them achieving the goal of reading 1,000 books, showing strong community support. This program encourages children aged 5 to 7 in Jungnang-gu, before entering school, to develop a habit of reading by reading 1,000 books during early childhood.

“I believe children who learn the value and joy of books will grow up with the strength and ability to navigate their lives independently throughout their lifetime. I hope all children in Jungnang find joy in books, grow happily, and naturally establish a foundation for self-directed learning,” said Mayor Ryu, emphasizing the importance of reading and conveying his strong commitment to “Reading Jungnang.”

By placing great emphasis on education and implementing diverse and proactive educational support policies, Jungnang-gu’s education satisfaction ranking has risen sharply from 19th among 25 autonomous districts in 2017, when Mayor Ryu took office, to 6th last year.

Mayor Ryu Gyeong-gi of Jungnang-gu said, “I feel a great sense of accomplishment as the effects of the education support policies, a key project of the 7th term, are being proven through resident satisfaction. Going forward, I will continue to strive to create an educational city where children in Jungnang can freely pursue their dreams and talents through practical and active support for education policies.”

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