Mapo-gu Selected for 'Local Community Startup Momentum' Campus Town Project with Sogang University and Hongik University

[Seoul District News] Hongik University Builds ‘Art Tech Square’, Operates 4 Startup Support Programs · Sogang University Continues ‘Startup Community Building’ Project Since 2019... Jungnang-gu Runs Online Agricultural Specialty Market with 6 Sister Cities for Chuseok... Yongsan-gu Newly Designates Model Restaurants in 2021

Sogang University Startup Space Sogang Square

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Mapo-gu (Mayor Yoo Dong-gyun) announced that it has been selected for the 2022 Seoul Campus Town Unit-type Public Contest project together with Sogang University (President Shim Jong-hyuk) and Hongik University (President Yang Woo-seok).

Seoul Campus Town is a project where autonomous districts collaborate with local universities to support youth startups with the goal of revitalizing the local economy. Since the Campus Town contest began in 2017, the number of startups created has exceeded 1,000 to date.

In this contest, a total of seven universities were selected. Sogang University and Hongik University will each receive up to 1.5 billion KRW in support over three years starting in 2022 to work on supporting youth startups in Mapo-gu and promoting regional coexistence.

Hongik University will carry out the project “ArtTech Square 2022: Growing from Startup to Scale-up” next year.

To ensure successful project implementation, Hongik University is preparing to open “ArtTech Square,” which leverages its strengths in design (Art) and the metaverse (Tech), a core technology of the 4th Industrial Revolution era.

ArtTech Square will consist of five startup rooms, two startup support rooms, and one administrative support room. Alongside this, four programs will be operated: ▲From Idea to Startup ▲From Startup to Business ▲From Business to Global ▲Creating a Youth Startup Ecosystem and Fostering Startups.

The district and Hongik University have already conducted Campus Town projects reflecting the characteristics of Mapo-gu from 2017 to 2019. Through this, they achieved results including 62 new startup teams, including jewelry manufacturing companies, and 44 design intellectual property applications.

Sogang University will support youth startups in Mapo-gu starting next year through the project “Creating a High Value-added Startup Community Leading Future Innovation with the Region.”

Centered on the Sogang University Startup Incubation Center, which ranked first in Seoul for two consecutive years (2019?2020) in the Startup Incubation Center Operation Evaluation conducted by the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, the project will include ▲Startup Education ▲Campus Town Auditions ▲Commercialization and Growth Support ▲Follow-up Cooperative Projects ▲Infrastructure Development Projects.

Also, Sogang University has been running the “Sogang Solution Campus Town with Mapo-gu” project from 2019 to this year, resulting in 31 teams successfully starting businesses as of the end of June this year.

A total of 1,008 startup mentoring sessions have been conducted, and 1,939 people have used startup education programs.

A district official said, “To be selected for this Campus Town contest project, a business agreement was signed on July 27 between Mapo-gu and Sogang and Hongik Universities, which is the result of mutual communication,” adding, “We will spare no effort or care to support youth startups in the local community.”

Yoo Dong-gyun, Mayor of Mapo-gu, said, “I hope the Campus Town project, which leads startups in Mapo-gu, will help activate youth startups and contribute to the local economy,” and added, “We will make every effort in various ways to create a Mapo where people want to start businesses.”

Jungnang-gu (Mayor Ryu Kyung-gi) will operate an Ontact agricultural and specialty products market so that residents can purchase high-quality local agricultural and specialty products at affordable prices in celebration of Chuseok.

Six cities and counties nationwide that have friendly exchange agreements with the district will participate in this market: Haenam-gun in Jeollanam-do, Imsil-gun in Jeollabuk-do, Damyang-gun in Jeollanam-do, Buk-gu in Ulsan, Hamyang-gun in Gyeongsangnam-do, and Gyeongju-si in Gyeongsangbuk-do.

The main items for sale include holiday gift sets, rice, apples, Korean beef, barley bread, cheese, and other products reflecting the characteristics of each city.

The district plans to provide residents with fresh and safe food through this market while also helping local farmers and fishermen who are struggling to secure sales channels due to COVID-19.

By clicking the banner on the main page of the Jungnang-gu Office website, residents can access the online specialty product markets of each exchange city.

Mayor Ryu Kyung-gi of Jungnang-gu said, “This will be a great opportunity to purchase excellent quality agricultural and specialty products at reasonable prices,” adding, “Although face-to-face exchanges are difficult due to the prolonged COVID-19 situation, we will continue active communication with exchange cities in cultural and economic fields through non-face-to-face methods.”

Currently, the district has friendly exchange agreements with seven cities nationwide and is actively conducting external exchanges such as promoting local festivals and specialty products.

Gwanak-gu (Mayor Park Jun-hee) Mental Health Welfare Center’s “COVID-19 Psychological Support” project, which has been operating since May last year, is receiving great responses from residents.

The “COVID-19 Psychological Support” project targets local residents experiencing depression, anxiety, and stress due to COVID-19. It classifies them by district through disaster mental health assessments and provides services such as counseling support by professional counselors for psychological recovery, management and linkage of high-risk groups, and psychological stabilization supplies.

Through counseling with professional clinical counselors, residents can alleviate unstable emotions and receive necessary information. If a resident is considered high-risk or wishes for professional counseling after the session, linkage to specialized treatment institutions is supported.

Along with psychological counseling, psychological quarantine kits are produced and delivered to homes. The psychological stabilization kits are composed of sets for physical health management (stretching bars, massage sticks, etc.) and mental health management (coloring books, colored pencils, origami, guidebooks, etc.) to promote mental and physical stability and health care.

A resident who recently completed self-quarantine wrote on a postcard, “Sudden self-quarantine caused extreme worry and frustration, but through the psychological support service, I was able to soothe my mind with the counselor’s kind consultation and various items and successfully complete the quarantine,” and expressed gratitude, saying, “I want to applaud the public officials and counselors who are working hard during COVID-19 for their warm-hearted counseling.”

As of the end of August, the district has provided 2,569 services to confirmed patients, self-quarantined individuals, and local residents through the COVID-19 psychological support project, helping improve the psychological health of residents suffering from COVID blues and assisting their return to daily life.

Residents experiencing anxiety and stress due to COVID-19 can contact the Gwanak-gu Mental Health Welfare Center to receive detailed guidance and counseling about the “COVID-19 Psychological Support” service.

Yongsan-gu (Mayor Seong Jang-hyun) is promoting the designation of new model restaurants in 2021 to foster a green food culture.

Model restaurants are establishments recognized by local governments for good hygiene and service, allowing residents to use them with confidence.

As of the end of last month, there are 4,723 registered general restaurants in Yongsan-gu, with 128 designated model restaurants, accounting for 2.71%. The district aims to designate more than 10 model restaurants this year.

Designated model restaurants receive a certificate and signboard, can apply for loans up to 100 million KRW (annual interest rate 2%) from the Food Promotion Fund, are encouraged to be used at various events, and are exempt from inspections for two years. This year, they will also receive quarantine supplies worth about 150,000 KRW, such as transparent masks and hand sanitizers.

The district will conduct on-site inspections from the 8th to the 15th of next month for applicants. The inspection will check detailed designation criteria for model restaurants, including the use of containers for taking only the amount to be eaten, improvements in food culture, cleanliness and hygiene management of kitchens, business premises, and food storage facilities, and compliance with good menus. Establishments designated as model restaurants for more than one year will also be re-inspected every October.

Applicants must be general restaurants within the district. Excluded are ▲establishments operating only on specific days or times ▲establishments mainly handling alcoholic beverages such as pubs and soju bars ▲establishments handling objectionable foods such as dog meat soup ▲establishments similar to snack bars (coffee shops, rice cake shops, ice cream shops, etc.) ▲establishments whose designation was canceled due to business suspension or higher sanctions within the past two years ▲establishments that received business suspension or higher sanctions within the past year.

Those wishing to apply should visit the Health and Hygiene Division on the 4th floor of Yongsan-gu Office by the end of this month or submit one copy of the application form by fax (02-2199-5810) or email (he1220@yongsan.go.kr). The application form can be found on the Yongsan-gu website.

Mayor Seong Jang-hyun of Yongsan-gu said, “The local commercial district is struggling a lot due to COVID-19, and I hope the designation as a model restaurant will be of some help to management.”

The current status of model restaurants by type in the district is 86 Korean, 11 Chinese, 12 Japanese, 17 Western-style, and 2 buffets. By area, there are 34 in Namyeong-dong, 20 in Hangang-ro, 14 in Itaewon 1-dong, 13 in Hannam-dong, 7 in Wonhyo 1-dong, 6 in Huam-dong, 6 in Wonhyo 2-dong, 5 in Cheongpa-dong, 4 in Seobinggo-dong, 3 in Yongsan 2-ga-dong, 3 in Yongmun-dong, 2 in Hyochang-dong, and 2 in Bogwang-dong.

Yeongdeungpo-gu (Mayor Chae Hyun-il) announced that it has been operating the “Customized Benefit Guidance (Welfare Membership)” system since September, which proactively informs welfare benefit recipients about the welfare services they need and the benefits they can receive.

The “Customized Benefit Guidance” system informs individuals who wish to receive welfare benefits about the welfare services they can apply for based on criteria such as age, household composition, and economic situation, and provides tailored information on benefits available at important life moments such as marriage, childbirth, and illness.

With a single application, all household members can receive prior guidance on their eligibility for social security benefits, reducing the need to visit community centers for consultations and inquiries. By proactively investigating and discovering eligibility, it is expected to play a significant role in linking customized benefits and resolving welfare blind spots.

Main target programs include ▲child and childcare projects such as home care allowance, childcare fee support, and child care services ▲living support such as basic livelihood security, disability pension, and basic pension ▲education expenses for elementary, middle, and high school students, and support for high school students from single-parent families ▲support for reduced co-payments for low-income groups, cancer patients, and catastrophic medical expenses ▲pregnancy and childbirth-related support such as maternal and newborn health management, infertility treatment costs, and low-income diaper and formula support ▲energy vouchers, utility bill discounts, and reduction services, totaling 78 programs (subject to change).

Applicants must be Korean nationals with a resident registration number residing in Korea or registered foreigners listed on the resident registration certificate. Applications can be made by accessing the Bokjiro website or visiting a nearby community center.

Once registered in the welfare membership, applicants will receive ongoing notifications about the types of benefits they are likely eligible for and how to apply, based on life cycle, income, assets, and qualification changes among the 78 government programs.

This year, the system is prioritized for new applicants of basic livelihood security, low-income, single-parent families, basic pension, disability pension, and disability (child) allowance, with plans to expand coverage to the entire population from next year.

Existing benefit recipients are automatically enrolled without a separate application but can refuse enrollment if they wish.

Mayor Chae Hyun-il of Yeongdeungpo-gu said, “With the implementation of this ‘Customized Benefit’ system, we expect a significant reduction in cases where people miss out on support because they did not know they were eligible,” adding, “We will continue to strive to improve personalized welfare and create an open Yeongdeungpo without welfare blind spots.”

Songpa-gu (Mayor Park Sung-soo) is conducting the “Happy Future Planning Special Lectures for Children and Adolescents” to help children and adolescents prepare for an autonomous life.

As modern society changes rapidly and diversely, it has become important for adolescent students to systematically plan and prepare for their future.

Accordingly, the district planned this special lecture as one of this year’s local governance tasks in cooperation with the Songpa-gu Governance Committee.

The lectures will be held four times every other Saturday at 2 p.m. from September 11 to October 30. To accommodate children and adolescents who have difficulty participating in external activities due to COVID-19, the lectures will be conducted online via ZOOM.

Experts in various fields such as personality psychology, career guidance, finance, and health have been invited. The program includes ▲September 11: “Wise Relationship Life” by Director Lee Soo-ryun (Personality Psychology) ▲September 25: “Promising IT Jobs in the 4th Industrial Revolution Era” by Professor Lee Dong-won (Career Guidance) ▲October 16: “Who Are You, Metaverse?” by Professor Lee Im-bok (Finance) ▲October 30: “Wise Healthy Living” by Professor Choi Hyung-joon (Health), providing practical help for future planning during adolescence.

Children and adolescents in Songpa-gu can apply for the lectures via Naver Form, with 50 participants accepted per session on a first-come, first-served basis. The lectures are free of charge. More details can be found on the Songpa-gu Jamsil Youth Center website.

Mayor Park Sung-soo of Songpa-gu said, “I hope this special lecture will help adolescents develop the ability to plan their future and become the main agents of their lives,” adding, “We will continue to support Songpa’s youth so they can nurture their dreams and prepare for the rapidly changing future society.”

Geumcheon-gu (Mayor Yoo Sung-hoon) announced that it will operate the public resource integrated platform “Gongyoo Nuri” to efficiently utilize public resources and enhance resident convenience.

“Gongyoo Nuri” is a sharing service portal where residents can easily and conveniently search and reserve shared resources such as facilities and goods owned by administrative and public institutions nationwide online.

The district has surveyed available idle spaces and has been opening 69 shared resources such as meeting rooms, lecture rooms, and parking lots through the “Gongyoo Nuri” website (www.eshare.go.kr) since last year.

Residents who wish to use these resources can select and reserve the desired Geumcheon-gu shared resources through the Gongyoo Nuri website or mobile app.

Mayor Yoo Sung-hoon of Geumcheon-gu said, “We have registered and opened various public resources of Geumcheon-gu on the online platform Gongyoo Nuri so that residents can use them easily and conveniently,” adding, “We will continue to discover shared resources and contribute to spreading the sharing culture.”

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