Seocho-gu Provides Customized Fine Dust Information by Neighborhood... Gwanak-gu Develops Master Plan for Alleyway Commercial Districts to Create Sustainable and Self-Sufficient Smart Alleyway Commercial Areas

[Seoul District News] Seocho-gu Establishes ‘Integrated Air Quality Forecast System’ Predicting Fine Dust Up to One Week... Gwanak-gu Develops Sustainable Alley Market Master Plan with 3.3 Billion KRW Investment Over 5 Years for 10 Key Markets Featuring ICT & Self-Sustaining Content-Based Projects... Seongdong-gu Leads Resource Circulation with IoT Unmanned Collection Machines for Simultaneous Can and PET Bottle Disposal

Checking the air quality forecast and warning on the website

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Seocho-gu has developed the ‘Seocho-gu Integrated Air Environment Forecast System,’ which analyzes factors causing fine dust pollution and predicts fine dust levels throughout the neighborhood up to one week in advance.

The district’s integrated air environment forecast system is an advanced version that combines the IoT-based ‘Fine Dust Detailed Measurement System’ developed in 2019, the ‘Integrated Air Environment Detailed Measurement System’ developed in 2020 to measure air pollution concentrations, and three years’ worth of big data including domestic and international fine dust causes and national fine dust monitoring station measurement histories.

The ‘Integrated Air Environment Forecast System’ developed by the district is designed exclusively for Seocho-gu residents, offering accuracy, predictability, and convenience regarding fine dust and related information.

This system provides more precise information by subdividing the measurement range of fine dust using 108 air environment measuring devices installed throughout the neighborhood and five ‘Seoripul Sumteo’ fine dust reduction devices. For example, even within Seocho-dong, areas around Gangnam Station, which have developed traffic volume, residential population, and commercial districts, are analyzed as high fine dust concentration zones, while Yongheori Park, which has green spaces, is analyzed as a low fine dust concentration zone.

The system analyzes various data related to fine dust and provides fine dust prediction results up to one week ahead. The prediction method is based on the amount of fine dust generated by external and internal factors in Seocho-gu and big data.

External factors include ▲ wind direction, wind speed, and fine dust concentration in West Coast areas such as Baengnyeongdo and Yeongjongdo ▲ wind direction and wind speed in the metropolitan area. Internal factors analyze fine dust causes by considering traffic volume and dust-generating businesses within the region based on neighborhood-specific measurement values. These analysis results are combined with various prediction models to forecast fine dust concentrations.

Residents can view the prediction results of this system through the ‘Seocho-gu Smart City App (Air Environment)’ and the ‘website.’ In particular, through the app, users can set interest zones (schools, daycare centers, parks, etc.) in their neighborhood to receive more detailed customized information. Additionally, various information such as fine dust forecasts and warnings, and behavioral guidelines can also be checked.

A district official said, “This system is expected to provide fine dust prediction information up to one week in advance, especially for vulnerable groups such as daycare children and the elderly, helping them prepare for outdoor activities.”

This system was promoted as part of the 2021 Seoul City public IoT construction contest project. In the future, the district plans to link this system with the ‘Air Environment Reduction Support System’ to enhance the efficiency of fine dust reduction activities.

Meanwhile, since November last year, the district has installed ‘Seoripul Sumteo,’ the nation’s first smart open-type fine dust reduction device, at five locations with high roadside dust such as around the Express Bus Terminal Station. This facility features fine dust traffic lights and fine dust collectors, helping residents breathe clean air with peace of mind, even if only briefly.

Cheon Jeong-wook, acting mayor of the district, said, “I hope this integrated air environment forecast system will help protect residents’ health through more accurate fine dust forecasts.”

Park Jun-hee, Mayor of Gwanak-gu, visited the living commercial district and alley commercial district of five university neighborhoods last year.

Gwanak-gu (Mayor Park Jun-hee) has prepared the ‘Gwanak-gu Alley Commercial District Master Plan,’ a five-year plan for the development of alley commercial districts, to help local merchants’ livelihoods grow into sustainable commercial areas.

The district plans to break away from the traditional market and shopping street-centered support and strengthen the foundation of Gwanak-gu’s commercial districts by supporting the activation of alley commercial districts, which are the base for small business owners and the backbone of the local economy.

Under the vision of ‘Smart Alley Commercial Districts with Sustainable and Self-sustaining Content,’ the district has set two main strategies: ‘ICT-based commercial district formation’ and ‘development and nurturing of self-sustaining content to secure commercial district competitiveness,’ with a total budget of 3.3 billion KRW over the next five years.

The plan includes seven common projects to establish a self-sustaining commercial district foundation such as merchant capacity building and organization, and 21 differentiated specialized projects tailored to each commercial district, totaling 28 detailed projects to be implemented step by step.

Since 2020, the district has selected 10 major alley commercial districts, two in each of the five zones?Bongcheon, Nakseongdae, Sillim, Nangok, and University?based on residents’ living activity areas, creating branded themed alleyways such as Nakseongdae Byeol-gil, Sinsa Mat-gil, and Nokdu Street, strengthening customized commercial district competitiveness through selective support.

Starting this year, the district will promote resident-centered community activities to strengthen cohesion such as win-win cooperation networks and merchant clubs, secure online competitiveness through open market entries and SNS promotional content production, and discover and nurture key stores to attract external customers in phased steps.

The alley commercial districts are broadly classified into ICT-based commercial districts, content-based commercial districts, and complex commercial districts with both characteristics. Differentiated specialized projects reflecting regional resource linkage plans and residents’ opinions will also be carried out for each commercial district.

The district plans to create smart ICT-based commercial districts by installing LED alley maps, producing commercial district guide apps, and setting up unmanned information centers and kiosks. It will also develop self-sustaining content to secure commercial district competitiveness, such as the Gang Gam-chan Cultural Street, Bora Commercial District Specialized Street, and Solo Dining Festival, aiming to build a sustainable future for alley commercial districts.

Additionally, the district will continue to expand the foundation for small business owners and alley commercial districts to grow independently through measures such as designating ‘Alley-type Shopping Districts’ via ordinances supporting alley-type shopping district activation, the ‘Gwanak-style Artterior Project’ that improves interiors of aging small business stores using artists’ talents, and issuing ‘Gwanak Love Gift Certificates’ to boost small business sales and stimulate local consumption.

A district official said, “Through the phased implementation of the Alley Commercial District Master Plan, we aim to create alley commercial districts unique to Gwanak-gu that satisfy residents and support small business owners struggling due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We will continue to do our best to strengthen the self-sustainability of local commercial districts and help them grow into sustainable alley commercial districts.”

Seongdong-gu (Mayor Jung Won-oh) signed a business agreement on the 26th of last month with Eco Together (CEO Yoo Seung-hee) and Chorokbyeol (CEO Gong Dae-won) regarding the ‘Recyclable Material Reward Program.’

Under this agreement, the district will establish a resource circulation platform that allows integrated disposal of cans and PET bottles. Eco Together will build a smartphone platform (App) that accumulates points for recyclable material disposal, and Chorokbyeol will manufacture and provide integrated unmanned collection machines for cans and PET bottles.

The ‘IoT Unmanned Collection Machine’ differs from devices that allow disposal of only one type of item such as PET bottles; it enables disposal of both cans and PET bottles at once. A total of five units will be installed this month at multi-use facilities frequently used by residents, such as sports centers, to actively increase the recycling collection rate.

Having already achieved a record of collecting 6 tons of paper packs from nearly 5,000 users through the ‘IoT Paper Pack Separate Disposal Box’ installed two years ago, the district installed a total of 23 paper pack separate disposal boxes across Seongdong-gu last month.

Starting this month, the district plans to actively promote easy separation and disposal of recyclables such as cans and PET bottles in daily life.

Furthermore, 10 points will be accumulated each time a can or PET bottle is disposed of, and after accumulating a certain number of points, users will be rewarded with mobile local currency, accelerating the spread of a culture of resource separation and disposal.

Jung Won-oh, mayor of Seongdong-gu, said, “This agreement was pursued to enable simultaneous separation and disposal of cans and PET bottles in daily life. We will continue to focus all our efforts on establishing a proper recyclable material separation culture and promoting resource circulation to create a sustainable ESG Seongdong city.”

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