Geumcheon-gu Creates an 'Age-Friendly City' to Enhance the Quality of Life for Seniors

Application for WHO Age-friendly Cities International Network Certification Completed... Establishment and Implementation of 60 Action Plans in 8 Domains from 2022 to 2024

[Asia Economy Reporter Jong-il Park] Geumcheon-gu (Mayor Yu Seong-hoon) recently held the final report meeting for the research project on creating an age-friendly city and established a master plan to realize "Geumcheon, a city where the life of the elderly is anticipated."

An age-friendly city is an international network created by the World Health Organization (WHO) defined as "a city where aging is not inconvenient and anyone can participate actively and healthily in society regardless of age."

At the final report meeting, based on the guidelines presented by WHO, four major policy goals tailored to Geumcheon-gu's characteristics were proposed: Safe Geumcheon with free mobility, Healthy Geumcheon with mutual care, Growing Geumcheon through participation and contribution, and Geumcheon where seniors and all generations live together. Additionally, 60 implementation tasks were presented. The district plans to establish detailed execution plans by sector based on these proposals to create an age-friendly environment across society, including welfare, culture, health, and physical environment.

In preparation for entering a super-aged society, the district has been promoting age-friendly city certification to create a city where not only the elderly but all generations can live well together and to implement responses to global aging and urbanization issues.

Since January this year, the district began a research project for age-friendly surveys and policy proposals. In March, it enacted the "Ordinance on the Creation of an Age-Friendly City in Geumcheon-gu," laying the groundwork for age-friendly city certification.

In May, the district formed the "Age-Friendly City Promotion Committee," composed of experts and representatives of the elderly, to review matters related to the promotion of age-friendly city policies and projects.

Furthermore, on August 25, the application for membership in the WHO Age-Friendly Cities International Network was completed, and certification is expected as early as early December.

Yu Seong-hoon, Mayor of Geumcheon-gu, stated, "Geumcheon-gu has an elderly population ratio of 17.2% for those aged 65 and over, making it an aged society, and it is expected to enter a super-aged society with 20.4% in 2024. We will do our best to make Geumcheon-gu a city where residents of all generations can live happily through long-term and continuous planning in preparation for an aged society."

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