On the First Day of Seoyangho Jung-gu Mayor's 3rd Anniversary, Staff Tea Time Followed by On-site Visits

Completion of Jung-gu Type Elementary Care, Realization of Dongjeongbu, Opening of Jung-gu Education Support Center Iro-um and Sindang Nuri Center... Seo District Mayor "Will Do Our Best to Make Jung-gu Where Residents' Expectations and Hopes Become Reality"

Seo Yang-ho, Mayor of Jung-gu, having tea time with colleagues who joined on the same day to celebrate the 3rd anniversary of his inauguration on July 1st

[Asia Economy Reporter Jong-il Park] On the 1st, marking his 3rd anniversary in office, Seoyangho, Mayor of Jung-gu, started his day not with a staff assembly or external event, but with tea time in his office with six colleagues who joined the company at the same time.

Celebrating their 3rd anniversary together, he had an open and honest conversation with employees who joined in July 2018 about the changes in Jung-gu.

Since becoming mayor in 2018, he has not held a separate inauguration ceremony but immediately embarked on field visits to address local issues on the 1st and 2nd anniversaries of his inauguration. This year is no exception.

As a mayor who works on the ground, always present at the site, he looks for comfortable sneakers before leaving his office. In a small changing room set up in a corner of his office, sneakers ready to be worn at any time are lined up. Today, he chose sneakers equipped with air cushioning!

On his 3rd anniversary, the series of efforts to listen to residents' opinions on-site, find ideas, and promote policies began to unfold before his eyes last year. Today, he will carefully visit the changes in Jung-gu over the past three years.

◆ Jung-gu Style Elementary Care Completed

The Jung-gu style elementary care, which has attracted nationwide attention, was completed in May through a business agreement with Sindang Elementary School after three years. The district now operates district-run care classrooms at all nine public elementary schools within its jurisdiction.

Parents welcomed the Jung-gu style elementary care, which provides comprehensive care, and in response, the district satisfied parents, students, and care teachers by offering better care services. This user-centered Jung-gu style elementary care has been busy being covered by various broadcasts and media to see if it can spread nationwide.

Mayor Seo said, "It is a considerable burden even for a district like Jung-gu with a small number of students, so it would not be easy for autonomous districts in cities with many students," adding, "The government and metropolitan local governments should prioritize budget allocation for care and take a stance that the state is responsible for care, even if it means changing the priority of financial input like Jung-gu."

The district will continue to innovate by converting after-school classroom operations to district management to provide high-quality programs, bringing a new breeze to the education field following the care classrooms.

◆ Nationwide First Establishment of Dong Government Division, Birth of Dong Resident Participation Budget Division and Our Neighborhood Management Office

In January 2019, Jung-gu became the first in the nation to establish a Dong government division, transferring 77 closely resident-related tasks from the district to the Dong (neighborhood) level. Budget allocation authority was also given to Dong community centers, establishing a system that allows residents to quickly invest budgets where they want in each Dong.

Continuing to promote Dong government, the district allocated 13.8 billion KRW this year for the Dong resident participation budget. This is an outstanding budget allocation compared to other local governments where the resident participation budget averages 1 to 3 billion KRW. For the 2022 Dong resident participation budget project proposals, a total of 1,156 proposals with an estimated budget of 41.1 billion KRW were submitted, reflecting the passionate interest of residents striving for neighborhood changes.

Another achievement of Dong government is the establishment of Our Neighborhood Management Office, reflecting the characteristics of areas with many old residential neighborhoods. Like apartment management offices responsible for chronic neighborhood problems, Our Neighborhood Management Office hires local residents to manage and resolve neighborhood issues. Starting with Hoehyeon-dong in February, it has been installed in 12 Dongs within the district, excluding Sogong-dong, Myeong-dong, and Euljiro-dong located in commercial areas, taking the lead in neighborhood affairs.

At the Our Neighborhood Management Office boom-up event held on June 28 at Sindang Nuri Center, various activities carried out in each Dong were showcased. These include improving the living environment for elderly living alone, zero waste challenges, and mobile laundry services, changing residents' lives through problem identification and unique solutions in each Dong.

◆ Living SOC Within 10 Minutes Walk, Opening of Iro-um and Sindang Nuri Center

In July last year, the Jung-gu Education Support Center 'Iro-um' for local children and youth opened on the site of Donghwa-dong public parking lot. The underground is a parking lot to alleviate local parking difficulties, and the ground level provides green space and educational support, offering three benefits. It provides diverse and substantial programs for youth, the future generation.

The administrative complex building 'Sindang Nuri Center' also opened its doors in February this year. Designed to provide various services on each floor, it houses a library, a public indoor playground, and the Sindang-dong community center, becoming a beloved community space where culture, childcare, and administrative tasks can be handled at once.

Going forward, the district plans to expand living SOC by adding senior leisure welfare facilities on the Cheonggu public parking lot site, a living culture center and indoor sports facilities on the Sindang Intersection public parking lot site, Seoul Makers Park, and a happiness complex building, striving to enhance residents' living convenience.

◆ Jung-gu Vaccination Center Records High Vaccination Rate

The Jung-gu Vaccination Center, which was guarded like a gatekeeper for over a month in April this year, is also an essential part of his field administration. Mayor Seo's face waiting for the elderly shuttle bus in front of the vaccination center was darkened along the mask marks. He personally explained and guided elderly residents who might have concerns about vaccination.

Based on trust in administration, the district recorded a high vaccination rate and is quickly preparing to return to normal life.

In addition, there are countless policies changing residents' lives in various fields, such as the Moonlight Street of Jungang Market reborn through the Hwanghak commercial district project, expansion of public libraries like Dasan Fortress Library, and the opening of the innovative startup center Eulji Unique Factory.

Seoyangho, Mayor of Jung-gu, said, "After walking for three years seeking answers on-site, employees chase me around because I am not in the office to get approvals. Thanks to the employees who silently executed many tasks I instructed while communicating with residents on-site, I have been able to keep going until now," expressing his gratitude to the staff who have worked together on projects.

He also shared his thoughts on the 3rd anniversary, saying, "I am always grateful for the residents' support that the neighborhood has changed since the mayor changed. As I have done so far, I will continue to walk silently without rest or fatigue to make Jung-gu a place where residents' expectations and hopes become reality."

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