Junggu Yaksu-dong Eungbong Neighborhood Park Renovation... Bangbae Seoripul Nori School Opening

[Seoul District News] New Forest Children's Playground Established in Ssamsi Park at Eungbong Neighborhood Park, Jung-gu; Complete Replacement of Aging Badminton Facilities to Alleviate Resident Inconvenience... Seocho-gu Opens Sports-Specialized Indoor Playground ‘Seoripul Nori School Branch 2’... Yangcheon-gu Enacts and Implements Seoul's First ‘Green Building Support Ordinance’ Among Districts... Seodaemun-gu Transforms Gyeongui-Jungang Line Sinchon Station Plaza into a Welcoming Space... Gangseo-gu Holds ‘Sustainable Development Vision Proclamation Ceremony’ on the 11th

Badminton Court

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Jung-gu, Seoul (Mayor Seo Yang-ho) has renovated Eungbong Neighborhood Park in Yaksu-dong to make it safe and pleasant for both children and adults.

They utilized the dark and neglected space within the Ssamsi Park located inside Eungbong Neighborhood Park to create a forest-themed children's playground and completely refurbished the old badminton court.

The newly established forest children's playground is located near the entrance from Namsan Town Apartments to Eungbong Neighborhood Park, a path frequently used by children attending Dongho Elementary School.

Previously, this space was hidden behind densely grown trees and lacked play facilities for children besides exercise equipment like pull-up bars. Children often climbed dangerous rocks, causing concern among adults.

In response, the district transformed this tree-covered, cramped space into an open area for children, installing wooden play equipment that preserved a large pine tree that had long stood there.

The children's playground, designed to suit the forest environment, is surrounded by log wood and filled with bark mulch on the floor to create a soft and cozy atmosphere. It passed all safety inspections and opened in October, now accessible to everyone.

Additionally, the badminton court visible immediately after climbing the stairs from the Youth Training Center had outdated facilities causing inconvenience to residents.

The old line belts (floor lines) were replaced, and a wooden deck was installed over the broken brick stands. Wooden trellises (fences) were placed to prevent shuttlecock loss, and trees were planted around. The walls were painted tile gray, transforming the space into a stable and calm atmosphere.

The district has been collecting residents' opinions and renovating aging parks such as Seosomun History Park, Son Ki-jung Sports Park, and Chunghyeon Children's Park. Through the 'Our Neighborhood Alley One-Hand Span Garden Cultivation' project, about 20 small gardens were created using leftover alley spaces.

Moreover, seasonal flowers and plants were used to create green belts along major roads in the area, improving street scenery and promoting residents' emotional well-being. Donghwa Children's Park, currently under reconstruction, is scheduled to open at the end of this month.

Mayor Seo Yang-ho said, "With the renovation of Eungbong Neighborhood Park, children can play safely, and more residents can enjoy physical activities. We will actively improve the surrounding park environment so residents can regain healthy and vibrant daily lives."

Seocho-gu announced that it will open the second public indoor playground specialized in children's physical measurement and sports activities through play, called ‘Bangbae SMART Seoripul Nori School,’ on the 16th by integrating ICT technology.

Located on the first floor of Bangju Church at 8, Bangbaecheon-ro 24-gil, Bangbae-dong, ‘Bangbae SMART Seoripul Nori School’ has a total floor area of 242㎡ on the first floor, consisting of five contents for physical and fitness measurement spaces and three play spaces to support children's healthy growth.

First, in the physical and fitness measurement space, digital sensors (RFID) are used to measure body composition and cognitive ability, jumping ability, agility, and balance. Children can view their measurement results on-site, compare them with peers, and understand their strengths and weaknesses. Additionally, by reviewing previous data during subsequent visits, they can easily track their growth, which is expected to aid physical and fitness development.

The play spaces include a ‘Climbing Zone’ for fitness improvement, a ‘Switch Wall’ where children turn on lights with switches to draw pictures, and a ‘Free Play Space’ with net play, allowing children to develop muscle strength, endurance, and creativity.

‘Bangbae SMART Seoripul Nori School’ will operate as a pilot for two weeks starting from the 16th, targeting children in local daycare centers, and is scheduled to officially open on December 1.

The facility is available for preschool children aged 5 to 7 residing in Seocho-gu, operating from Tuesday to Saturday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. It is closed on Mondays, Sundays, and public holidays. The usage fee is 2,000 KRW per individual and 1,000 KRW per group. Reservations can be made in advance through the Seocho-gu Childcare Support Center website.

Previously, in March 2019, the district opened the nation’s first public indoor playground, ‘Seoripul Nori School No. 1,’ in Seocho-dong. It has become a playground for children and a community space for parents. Especially, experiential programs like Drawing Aqua and Smart Gym have received high satisfaction. Although operations were temporarily suspended due to COVID-19 this year, it reopened on the 20th of last month and is currently operating.

Going forward, the district plans to build 10 additional Seoripul Nori Schools by 2025 in different zones. Next year, a music-integrated ‘Yangjae Seoripul Nori School’ will be established at Yangjae Public Parking Lot, and in 2023, four more locations including Serae Public Parking Lot, Umyeon Resident Convenience Facility, Bangbae 6 District Reconstruction, and Seocho-dong 1592-11 Apartment Construction will be developed.

Kim Il-nam, Director of Women and Childcare Division, said, “Providing safe spaces where our future children can play brightly and healthily is our duty. We will continue to expand Seoripul Nori Schools to support home childcare and healthy child development.”

Gangbuk-gu (Mayor Park Gyeom-su) will open the Mia-dong Community Childcare Room on the 17th.

The Mia-dong Community Childcare Room is a free public care space for infants and toddlers under 36 months and their parents. Located inside newly purchased rental housing for newlyweds, it allows residents to solve housing and childcare simultaneously. It is also conveniently close to Mia Station on Line 4.

The childcare room is set up in units 101-2 of Building 101 and 101 of Building 102 in the rental housing, covering a total area of 116.96㎡. It includes an experiential playground for infants and toddlers, a toy library called ‘Ajang Ajang Toy Land,’ and community facilities. The experiential playground offers various age-appropriate physical play options such as slides. Kitchen sets and wooden tunnels stimulate children's imagination and interest through role and sensory play.

The toy library lends various toys and sound books suitable for different child development stages. The community space provides opportunities for caregivers to communicate and share childcare information. It can also be used as a space for self-help meetings among parents raising children.

Operating hours are from Tuesday to Saturday, 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Reservations are required in advance to use the experiential playground or borrow toys. Interested parties can apply through the Gangbuk-gu Childcare Support Center website. Playground usage is limited to two hours per day, and guardian accompaniment is mandatory.

Mayor Park Gyeom-su of Gangbuk-gu said, “The Mia Community Childcare Room is an open space where parents and children can empathize with peers and share information. We will continue to expand care infrastructure to create a better childcare environment.”

Dongjak-gu (Mayor Lee Chang-woo) is making every effort to support examinees by preparing special traffic measures for the 2022 College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT) scheduled for November 18.

This year, 3,420 examinees are expected to take the test at seven examination sites in Dongjak-gu: Kyungmoon High School, Dongjak High School, Seongnam High School, Yeongdeungpo High School, Soongui Girls' High School, Seoul Technical High School, and Sudo Girls' High School. The district has thoroughly prepared measures to create a stable environment for examinees to take the test despite the COVID-19 situation.

First, the district will implement special traffic measures for the 2022 CSAT by establishing and operating a traffic support headquarters from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. on the test day. From 6:30 a.m. to 8:10 a.m., 18 administrative vehicles, including three district vehicles and 15 vehicles from each dong, will be deployed to major intersections and subway stations such as Noryangjin Station, Isu Station, and Sindaebang Station to provide emergency transportation for examinees.

Village bus intervals will be shortened to concentrate operation during school commute times, and corporate taxis will be arranged to operate between subway/bus stops and examination sites to ensure examinees using public transportation can arrive quickly and safely.

Particularly, for examinees under self-quarantine, walking or private vehicle travel is the principle, but if necessary, quarantine taxis and official vehicles will be used to support safe transportation to the test sites.

Vehicle entry and exit within 300 meters of the test sites will be controlled, intersections managed, and illegal parking strictly monitored to maintain traffic order. Noise control will be enforced around construction sites and sales facilities near the test sites from 1:10 p.m. to 1:35 p.m. during the third session's English listening test.

Additionally, the district extended health center working hours to 10 p.m. the day before the test to strengthen diagnostic testing for examinees showing infectious disease symptoms, minimizing infection spread. A special quarantine period started two weeks before the test, with thorough inspections of academies, study cafes, and tutoring centers. Joint safety inspections of gas facilities at the seven test schools were also conducted to prevent gas accidents.

Furthermore, banners with supportive messages for examinees are displayed around the test sites and throughout the district to warmly encourage students who have worked hard. After the test, a youth protection campaign guides safe return home, aiming to protect examinees from harmful environments and COVID-19.

A Dongjak-gu official urged, “To ensure the safe conduct of the CSAT and subsequent university admissions, we ask examinees and their families to strictly follow quarantine rules and minimize external contact.”

Yongsan-gu (Mayor Seong Chang-hyun) is holding ‘Empathy Sharing Events’ at eight apartment complexes in the district as part of the apartment community revitalization project.

According to the ‘2020 Housing Survey’ announced by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport in August, the proportion of apartment residents in Korea reached 51.1% last year, up from 50.1% in 2019.

As conflicts among apartment residents over parking and noise between floors have become social issues, communication channels among neighbors are urgently needed.

To address these issues, the district has promoted the apartment community revitalization support project since 2012. This year, it supported 24 programs across eight complexes, including reading discussions, Namsan walking, children's growth gymnastics, and gardening.

The Empathy Sharing Events were held in October at ▲Seyang Cheongmaru Apartment (Hyochang-dong) on the 2nd, ▲Yongsan Prugio Summit (Hangangno-dong) on the 29th, and ▲Itaewon Jugong Apartment (Itaewon-dong) on the 30th. In November, events took place at ▲Raemian Chalitus Apartment (Ichon-dong) on the 1st, ▲Hanshin Yongam Apartment (Yongsan-dong 2-ga) on the 6th, and will be held at ▲Yongsan KCC Switzen (Hyochang-dong) on the 12th, ▲Hannam The Hill (Hannam-dong) on the 18th, and ▲Yongsan Lotte Castle Center Foret (Hyochang-dong) on the 19th.

The events include exhibitions and presentations of best practices at designated apartment locations. Programs tailored to each complex’s characteristics, such as jujube picking, repotting flowers, bazaars, forest interpretation, and jegi-nori (Korean shuttlecock kicking), encourage resident participation.

Nam Sun-woo, president of the Yongsan Prugio Summit residents' association, said, “Listening to live music with the autumn breeze helped me momentarily forget the frustration caused by COVID-19. I am very grateful for the opportunity to communicate with residents through the apartment community revitalization project this year.”

The district also supported performance teams to enable non-face-to-face viewing from apartment balconies. The complexes that requested this support in advance were ▲Yongsan Prugio Summit, ▲Yongsan KCC Switzen, and ▲Yongsan Lotte Castle Center Foret.

Mayor Seong Chang-hyun of Yongsan-gu said, “The Empathy Sharing Events will serve as a catalyst to spread community revitalization projects throughout the complexes. I hope residents make good memories with their neighbors during the deepening autumn days.”

Dobong-gu (Mayor Lee Dong-jin) completed the ‘Urban Neighborhood Mountain Park’ at the site of the compensated pear orchard and the existing Choansan Neighborhood Park at San 159-1, Chang-dong (near Changil Elementary School) at the end of October.

The neighborhood mountain park project covers 19,000㎡ with a total construction cost of 1.5 billion KRW, including 400 million KRW from the district and 1.1 billion KRW from the city.

The park is planted with 43,470 trees of 15 species such as mountain azalea, king cherry, and cornelian cherry, and 7,521 herbaceous plants of 21 species including variegated silver grass, red ribbon, and sky clematis. Facilities include a flower basket-themed garden photo zone with Dobongsan Mountain as the backdrop, an observatory, and rest facilities like a pergola.

Notably, during the project, 60 of 200 densely planted Korean red pines (donated by Doklimga in 2014) from nearby Bansong Park were transplanted to this park, improving the growth environment of the previously dense pines and enhancing the unique landscape of the new park.

As a result, the ‘Choansan Neighborhood Park Urban Neighborhood Mountain Park Project’ area is located at the center of existing facilities such as the wooden culture experience center, ecological park, Bansong Park, and sharing gardens, connecting the surroundings into one space and expected to attract more local residents.

Mayor Lee Dong-jin of Dobong-gu said, “We will proceed smoothly with the gardening center construction project at San 159-6, Chang-dong, and develop the Choansan area, a representative living area park of Dobong-gu, into a complex cultural space where many residents can enjoy walking, resting, woodworking, and garden culture experiences.”

Yangcheon-gu (Mayor Kim Soo-young) has established the basis for supporting the performance improvement of aging houses in the area by enacting and implementing the ‘Green Building Creation Support Ordinance,’ the first among Seoul’s autonomous districts.

The ordinance was enacted to promote green buildings that improve the quality of housing by enhancing the living environment and energy performance of aging houses in the area, reducing energy costs in accordance with the Green Building Creation Support Act.

Key provisions include the basic direction of green building support, eligibility and support criteria, additional support measures for aircraft noise countermeasure areas, and the establishment and operation of the Green Building Creation Deliberation Committee.

The support targets detached houses, multi-family houses, multiplex houses, and row houses that have been approved for use for over 20 years. It provides up to 50% (maximum 10 million KRW) of construction costs for renewable energy facilities or replacement of windows and insulation materials to improve energy performance.

Especially, there is a special provision for additional support in aircraft noise-affected areas, which is expected to significantly improve the residential environment in Sinwol-dong, which has been affected by aircraft noise. The ordinance also has significance in providing grounds to support performance improvement of aging houses outside urban regeneration areas.

Yangcheon-gu plans to secure a budget to promote the green building creation support project based on this ordinance and select support targets through announcements once detailed guidelines are prepared.

Mayor Kim Soo-young of Yangcheon-gu said, “Green buildings are not a choice but a necessity for carbon-neutral green city Yangcheon. I hope many green buildings that environmentally improve the performance of aging houses, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and enhance housing quality will be created in Yangcheon-gu through this first-ever ordinance among Seoul districts.”

Seodaemun-gu (Mayor Moon Seok-jin) will hold a completion ceremony at 1:30 p.m. on the 12th at the newly transformed Gyeongui-Jungang Line Sinchon Station Plaza, which underwent construction for over two years.

The district expanded the existing sidewalk width and smoothed the terrain height differences to improve accessibility. They installed a music broadcasting system, small resting areas, and shade structures.

They also planted grass, trees, and flowers throughout the plaza and maintained trees and lighting facilities in the adjacent green area, transforming it into a bright and pleasant natural-friendly space.

Furthermore, trees that blocked the view between the green area and the sidewalk were transplanted to increase openness, creating a single space naturally connecting the two areas.

Mayor Moon Seok-jin of Seodaemun-gu said, “The Gyeongui-Jungang Line Sinchon Station Plaza, which was merely a passageway, is expected to become a ‘space where people want to stay and revisit,’ contributing to local revitalization.”

The ceremony will proceed with a progress report, commemorative speeches, ribbon-cutting, and a plaza tour.

Gangseo-gu, Seoul (Mayor Roh Hyun-song) announced that it will hold a ‘Vision Proclamation Ceremony’ on the 11th to promote the district’s sustainable development vision, ‘A Happy Future Shared by All, Sustainable Gangseo.’

In modern society, facing various social and economic issues including climate change, sustainable development has emerged as a new order where nature and humans coexist and current and future generations thrive together.

Accordingly, the district has made sustainable development the top priority in governance, establishing concrete implementation plans and launching full-scale promotion through this proclamation event.

The ceremony will include signatures by the mayor, district council chairman, and members of the Sustainable Development Committee, followed by the announcement of the ‘2030 Gangseo-gu Sustainable Development Vision Declaration.’

The declaration pledges to implement 17 sustainable development goals and key tasks, including quality education, gender equality, clean energy, quality jobs, and inequality reduction, to ensure harmonious economic, social, and environmental growth.

The district began research in June last year, held a final report meeting in February this year, and established a basic implementation plan for sustainable development.

It set 17 development goals reflecting district characteristics, 34 unit projects, and 40 development indicators, aiming to raise residents’ awareness and lead concrete actions for sustainable development.

Along with the proclamation, the event will include the Sustainable Development Committee’s regular meeting to elect co-chairs and subcommittee chairs, and a special lecture on sustainable development by Kwon Ki-tae, director of the Social Innovation Research Institute.

Mayor Roh Hyun-song said, “Sustainable development is a core goal of district governance and an important value in residents’ lives. We will create a sustainable Gangseo-gu where nature and people coexist and both current and future generations enjoy happy lives.”

Earlier this year, the district enacted the ‘Gangseo-gu Sustainable Development Basic Ordinance’ and launched the ‘Gangseo-gu Sustainable Development Committee’ composed of 22 experts from various fields.

Geumcheon-gu (Mayor Yoo Sung-hoon) announced that it is recruiting members for the ‘Geumcheon-gu Age-Friendly City Monitoring Group’ until the 21st to create an age-friendly city.

The group will listen to the opinions of seniors and residents who benefit from age-friendly city projects and actively reflect diverse views in policies to enhance policy awareness.

The recruitment target is up to 30 people, with age distribution to encourage participation from various generations. Anyone aged 17 or older who is a resident of Geumcheon-gu or works or studies in Geumcheon-gu can apply.

Main activities include providing opinions and proposing specialized projects for age-friendly city initiatives, monitoring inconveniences in the area and suggesting improvements, supporting consensus building and promotional activities for spreading age-friendly local culture, and benchmarking projects from other cities and districts.

Applications can be submitted by downloading the application form from the ‘Notices and Announcements’ section of the Geumcheon-gu website, filling it out, and visiting the Senior and Disabled Affairs Division at the district office or sending it via fax or email (sjh8221@geumcheon.go.kr).

If the number of applicants exceeds the recruitment limit, those not selected will be offered participation opportunities later.

Mayor Yoo Sung-hoon of Geumcheon-gu said, “Through the operation of the monitoring group, we will collect diverse field opinions by generation and implement age-friendly policies that resonate with residents. We encourage residents interested in age-friendly city creation and willing to participate continuously to apply.”

Eunpyeong-gu (Mayor Kim Mi-kyung) announced on the 10th that it was selected as an excellent institution in the Population and Housing, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, and Economic Census categories of the ‘2021 Large-Scale Statistical Survey Service Awards’ hosted by Statistics Korea and received the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Strategy and Finance Award.

The large-scale statistical survey is conducted every five years by Statistics Korea. This award was established to encourage local governments and contributors who conducted the 2020 Population and Housing, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Census and the 2021 Economic Census.

Eunpyeong-gu minimized non-response rates by diversifying publicity methods and through continuous visits and persuasion by surveyors and project stakeholders, achieving a 100% survey completion rate.

Especially, despite the challenging environment due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the district provided COVID-19 prevention education to surveyors and established quarantine measures in the statistical situation room, completing the survey schedule safely without any infection cases, earning high praise.

Mayor Kim Mi-kyung of Eunpyeong-gu said, “Thanks to the residents who sincerely responded to the survey and the surveyors who actively performed their duties, we achieved the honor of receiving the ministerial award. We will continue to do our best to produce and provide accurate statistical data for Eunpyeong-gu.”

Seongbuk-gu (Mayor Lee Seung-ro) was selected as an excellent institution in the ‘2021 Statistical Survey Service Awards’ hosted by Statistics Korea and received the Minister of Strategy and Finance Award.

Besides the institutional award, two public officials and eleven surveyors were selected as contributors, receiving the Minister of Strategy and Finance Award and the Statistics Korea Commissioner Award.

During the 2020 Population and Housing Census, Agriculture and Forestry Census, and 2021 Economic Census, Seongbuk-gu faced difficulties due to the COVID-19 spread but completed the surveys by strictly following quarantine rules, conducting pre-safety education, frequent disinfection of the statistical situation room, distributing masks to surveyors, and dispersing surveyor gatherings.

The district also established phased plans tailored to its characteristics and carried out all survey processes without delay. Through active and diverse online and offline publicity plans, it encouraged residents’ understanding and interest, raising voluntary participation and enhancing the reliability of statistical data.

Mayor Lee Seung-ro of Seongbuk-gu said, “This award is the result of public officials and surveyors doing their best to secure data necessary for good policies and projects despite difficult conditions. We will continue to work hard to create a better Seongbuk by empathizing and communicating with residents through statistical surveys.”

Dongdaemun-gu (Mayor Yoo Deok-yeol) will launch a new bus route 2416, running from Jangan-dong and Janghanpyeong Station to Samseong Station, starting on the 29th.

The newly established bus route 2416 starts from Jungnang Public Garage and operates through Sangbong Station (Line 7), Janghan-ro area, Janghanpyeong Station (Line 5), Gunja Station (Lines 5 and 7), Konkuk University Station (Line 7), and Samseong Station (Line 2). The interval between buses is 13 to 16 minutes.

Due to frequent resident complaints about the lack of bus routes from Jangan-dong to Gangnam, the district has continuously requested Seoul City to adjust city bus routes since 2017 to improve accessibility to Gangnam for Jangan-dong residents. After five years of effort, the new bus route was finally established.

This new 2416 bus route is the result of five years of joint efforts by the district and residents, expected to improve public transportation convenience by enhancing Gangnam accessibility for Jangan-dong residents.

Mayor Yoo Deok-yeol of Dongdaemun-gu said, “The establishment of this bus route was possible thanks to the efforts of the district and Jangan-dong residents. We will continue to listen to residents’ inconveniences regarding public transportation and strive to improve transportation convenience.”

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