Looking for Natives Who Have Lived in Jung-gu for Over 60 Years

Residents must have lived continuously in Jung-gu for over 60 years since before October 1, 1961... Apply at the local community center by September 10... Selected natives will receive a "Tobaki Badge" in October and be registered with the Jung-gu Tobaki Association

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Jung-gu (District Mayor Seo Yang-ho) is looking for 'Jung-gu Tobaki' who will vividly convey the history and culture of Jung-gu.

The eligibility requirement is residents who have lived in Jung-gu for more than 60 years since before October 1, 1961, and whose resident registration has continuously remained in Jung-gu. Exceptions are made for residents who temporarily left Jung-gu due to unavoidable reasons such as redevelopment, regardless of their will.

Applicants should fill out the application form with basic information such as name, address, registered domicile, and period of residence, along with family pride, initial settlement area and era, and old memories of the residence, and submit it to the local community service center by September 10.

The applicants for Tobaki will be confirmed through direct interviews by the community service center staff and investigation of various documents such as resident registration abstracts, family registers, and removal certificates.

The new Jung-gu Tobaki will be awarded a Jung-gu Tobaki plaque with a face-shaped sculpture in October. They will also be registered in the Jung-gu Tobaki Association and given opportunities to participate in various local events for the preservation and discovery of Jung-gu's traditional culture.

Established in 1999, the Jung-gu Tobaki Association (President Noh Seok-ho) has been actively engaged in discovering and preserving local culture despite their advanced age, including publishing the 'Jangso-pal Mandamjip' which fully captures the dialect and lifestyle of Seoul natives, holding the 'Tobaki Photo Exhibition' that conveyed life from the Japanese colonial period to the 1960s, exploring traditional cultural heritage sites, and conducting cultural heritage guardian campaigns.

Recently, long-established restaurants (nopo) that have been passed down for generations in Jung-gu are gaining attention. It is also the role of Tobaki to find and certify legendary restaurants, tea houses, rice cake shops, living heritage stores, and tool shops and artisans who have been active in the area for decades.

So far, the district has found 220 Tobaki, and last year, 4 new ones were discovered. Jung-gu Tobaki are firmly establishing themselves as precious living cultural heritage and cultural heritage guardians.

Seo Yang-ho, Mayor of Jung-gu, said, "The ongoing effort to find Tobaki who have steadfastly protected Jung-gu is a very valuable task for preserving our history and culture," and added, "I hope that our district's traditions and culture will be vividly passed on to current and future residents of Jung-gu."

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