Seongdong-gu Establishes 'Seongdong-type ESG Policy' to Create a Sustainable City

[Seoul District News] ‘2022 Seongdong-type ESG Policy Comprehensive Plan’ Spreading ESG Awareness, Institutionalization, Public-Private Cooperation, and Specific Selection of Promotion Projects · A Total of 990 Million KRW Scale ‘Seongdong-type ESG Practice Project’ Public Contest to Promote Cooperation and Collaboration among Public, Companies, and Residents... Jungnang-gu Connects Local University Students and Elementary to High School Students through Didimdol Mentoring... Mapo-gu Operates Senior Generation Employment Navigation ‘50+ Happiness Academy’... Yeongdeungpo-gu Opens ‘Yeongdeungpo Village University’ for Anyone to Learn and Create Together Anywhere... Songpa-gu ‘Native Speaker Online English Class’

Jung Won-oh, Mayor of Seongdong-gu, at last year's Seoul Forest Understand Avenue Social Venture EXPO

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Seongdong-gu (Mayor Jung Won-oh) has established the ‘2022 Seongdong-type ESG Policy Comprehensive Plan,’ taking a vigorous step toward creating a sustainable city.

Amid international consensus that the sustainability of human society is in serious crisis due to climate change, polarization, and other issues, the concept of ‘sustainability,’ which was once perceived as a necessary warning about a distant future crisis, has recently become the most acute value and urgent reality. As a result, ‘ESG’ has been prominently positioned as a core management strategy in both corporations and the public sector.

Accordingly, under the vision of ‘Sustainable City ESG Seongdong Embracing Present and Future,’ the district has prepared harmonious and continuous development plans that embrace both current and future generations. It has set four major directions: spreading ESG awareness and gathering opinions, revising ordinances for institutionalization, public-private cooperation, and selecting key projects.

First, the district plans to widely promote the ESG concept and increase residents’ interest by conducting ESG-related education for residents and reflecting excellent proposals from an ESG idea contest that encourages practical implementation in daily life into district administration.

In addition to developing evaluation indicators tailored to Seongdong-gu’s characteristics to concretely present ESG application methods, the district plans to revise the previously established ‘Seongdong-gu Basic Ordinance on Sustainable Development’ (July 2021) to align with the higher law (‘Basic Act on Sustainable Development’), thereby clarifying the legal basis for sustainable development projects.

By building a public-private network using local councils and signing MOUs with ESG-practicing companies in the region, the district will promote the ‘Let’s Do It Together! ESG’ project to support practical and continuous ESG social contribution. It will also select 25 projects in the E (Environment), S (Social), and G (Governance) fields implemented by various departments as key tasks to concretize related policies.

In particular, the district plans to activate public-private collaboration by inviting ‘Seongdong-type ESG Practice Projects’ from non-profit private organizations, universities, research institutes, social ventures and companies in the environmental field, and social cooperatives.

The total public contest project, worth 990 million KRW, recruiting ESG-related projects including practice projects and technology R&D, aims to ensure full ESG implementation through cooperation among the public sector, companies, and residents, and to activate their collaboration.

Jung Won-oh, Mayor of Seongdong-gu, said, “ESG is now an essential administrative paradigm,” and added, “I want to create a sustainable city for a better future together with the residents.” Furthermore, he stated, “We will make active efforts to revitalize the urban economy and achieve continuous development through ESG practice.”

Jungnang-gu (Mayor Ryu Kyung-gi) will operate the ‘Jungnang Didimdol Mentoring’ program from March to June, targeting elementary, middle, and high school students, with university students participating as mentors.

‘Jungnang Didimdol Mentoring’ is a program where university student mentors residing in the district provide academic guidance, career counseling, and department introductions to mentees who are elementary, middle, and high school students preparing for their career paths and college entrance.

The mentoring consists of three fields: ‘Academic and Career Counseling Mentoring,’ which provides academic guidance and career counseling; ‘Major Deepening Mentoring,’ where mentors introduce various majors and offer department experiences; and ‘University Exploration Mentoring,’ where mentees visit universities with mentors.

Ryu Kyung-gi, Mayor of Jungnang-gu, said, “Through this ‘Jungnang Didimdol Mentoring’ program, elementary, middle, and high school students will receive academic help and solve career concerns through realistic career counseling, broadening their career exploration horizons. Also, I hope it will be an opportunity for university students to share knowledge and develop leadership.”

Last year’s second half saw participation from 106 mentors and 220 mentees. The recruitment for mentees in the first half of 2022 was closed within a day of opening, showing strong interest from residents.

Mapo Senior Club Barista Course

Middle-aged people who are about to retire or are resting after retirement to start their second act in life have probably wondered, “What kind of job suits me?” at least once.

Mapo-gu (Mayor Yoo Dong-gyun) announced that it will operate the ‘2022 50+ Happiness Academy’ to design a second youth for the senior generation in the area who need employment.

The 50+ generation refers to those aged 50 to 64. As of January 31, 78,533 people reside in Mapo-gu, accounting for one in five residents.

The district added that although the average life expectancy is increasing due to advances in medical technology, the rapidly changing economic situation due to the development of the 4th industrial revolution and job losses or early retirement caused by COVID-19 have created economic and psychological fears among the 50+ generation. To address this, the ‘50+ Happiness Academy’ is being launched through the Mapo Senior Club (Director Choi Cheol-ho).

The ‘50+ Happiness Academy’ is a one-stop service targeting baby boomers who are about to retire or have retired, providing initial counseling about life after retirement, information provision, job experience, and vocational training, ultimately linking to employment.

Main programs include ▲barista certification acquisition ▲job experience academy ▲one-day classes and open lectures.

This year, the budget increased by 20 million KRW to 65 million KRW from last year’s 45 million KRW. The district signed agreements with local institutions to add various activities such as ▲baking certification ▲caregiver certification ▲babysitter training courses.

Eligibility is residents of Mapo-gu aged 50 to 64. Participation involves visiting the Mapo Senior Club (58 Donggyo-ro 8-gil) for initial counseling on personal aptitude and understanding life after retirement. Online counseling is also available via KakaoTalk Plus Friend ‘Mapo50PlusHappinessAcademy.’

The ‘Rewi Cookie’ project team, launched by the Mapo Senior Club in 2016, currently has 12 veteran senior bakers producing cookies and muffins supplied to 34 cafes.

Additionally, ‘Cafe Lee,’ where senior baristas work, operates four locations including the Nogosan branch.

The district has applied to join the ‘WHO Age-friendly Cities International Network’ in 2020 and established the ‘Mapo-type Age-friendly City 3-year Plan’ this year.

With the vision of ‘With (Worthy, Interesting, Together, Healthy) 100 Years, Age-friendly City Mapo,’ 37 projects are underway in 10 areas.

Yoo Dong-gyun, Mayor of Mapo-gu, said, “As the baby boomer generation enters old age, related measures are urgently needed,” and added, “We will do our best to help them live a ‘second youth’ rather than retirement through the 50+ Happiness Academy.”

Yeongdeungpo-gu (Mayor Chae Hyun-il) has started the 2022 first semester courses of Yeongdeungpo Village University, where residents are the owners, and is recruiting students for each course on a first-come, first-served basis.

Yeongdeungpo Village University is a representative resident-led lifelong learning program promoted to support residents’ learning, grow together, and share knowledge in Yeongdeungpo.

Residents actively participate in learning and deepen their knowledge and wisdom through club activities and discussions. Furthermore, by donating their talents and returning learning to the local community, residents together build the foundation of a sustainable lifelong learning city, which is highly meaningful.

The 2022 first semester of Yeongdeungpo Village University will be held at the YDP Future Lifelong Learning Center. From March, courses in the Citizen Department and Career Development Department will begin in earnest.

In the Citizen Department, the ‘YDP Learning Designer Training Course’ will operate, where local residents themselves create a ‘Village University Campus,’ a nearby lifelong learning space. Unlike the traditional top-down courses, this project allows residents to plan programs they need and participate wherever they want.

Programs planned through the project will be introduced in the second half of this year at village university campuses in various districts of Yeongdeungpo, open to all residents.

The ‘YDP Learning Designer Training Course’ will recruit 24 residents with lifelong learning experience, and after online interviews, the students will be finalized. After completing the course, participants can work as learning managers at Yeongdeungpo Village University and YDP Future Lifelong Learning Center.

In the Career Development Department, a one-person publishing class ‘Daily Record Volume 1: My Hobby’ will be offered, where participants create their own essays. The program provides practical courses including know-how on one-person publishing, basic writing, design planning, and marketing.

Additionally, ‘YDP Whatever School’ will start for middle-aged people preparing for their second act after retirement. This program offers capacity-building education for rookie prospective instructors on communication with learners, lecture skills, lecture demonstrations, and consulting. Graduates will have opportunities to gain practical experience through the YDP Talent Sharing Program.

Residents wishing to enroll in Yeongdeungpo Village University courses can apply online via the Yeongdeungpo-gu website under Integrated Reservation - Lifelong Education - Yeongdeungpo Village University page. Selected students will be individually notified by major.

Tuition is free, but material costs may apply. Since the duration varies by course, please contact the Yeongdeungpo-gu Future Education Division Lifelong Education Project Team or refer to the Yeongdeungpo-gu website for details.

Chae Hyun-il, Mayor of Yeongdeungpo-gu, said, “I hope Yeongdeungpo Village University becomes a starting point for self-development and life transformation,” and added, “We will continue to lead the creation of a sustainable learning city growing together with residents.”

Songpa-gu (Mayor Park Sung-soo) will operate the ‘2022 Songpa SSEM Native Speaker Online English’ classes to reduce residents’ private education expenses in response to the increasing demand for non-face-to-face learning due to COVID-19.

The district signed a business agreement (MOU) with the online English education specialist company Geonwoo Edu in 2018 and has been supporting residents with affordable online video English learning every year.

This year, the district will invest 50 million KRW to further reduce tuition fees compared to previous discounted prices, offering 100% free tuition for low-income groups and 20% tuition support for general residents.

The target audience includes elementary, middle, and high school students residing in Songpa-gu, as well as youth and adults. Students can meet native speakers online in real time for level-appropriate video conversation learning.

The monthly tuition fees for general residents are ▲1:1 class 56,000 KRW (market price 119,000 KRW) ▲1:2 class 40,000 KRW (market price 89,000 KRW) ▲1:3 class 28,000 KRW (market price 35,000 KRW).

The district will recruit students and youth for the first term until February and support two months of classes from March to April. Subsequent terms 2 (April), 3 (June), 4 (August), and 5 (October) will also be recruited, providing two months of education per term until the end of the year. Adults can apply monthly for one-month courses per term.

Residents wishing to enroll can apply via the Songpa-gu website or the learning website. For more details, contact the Songpa-gu Native Speaker Online English Customer Center.

Park Sung-soo, Mayor of Songpa-gu, said, “As non-face-to-face education has become active due to COVID-19, educational inequality has emerged as a social problem,” and added, “We will continue to lead so that all residents can continue learning without educational gaps or interruptions through various learning programs using Songpa’s unique education support system ‘Songpa SSEM.’”

Seodaemun-gu (Mayor Moon Seok-jin) is promoting the activation plan for ‘non-face-to-face family relationship registration reporting’ throughout the year as part of practicing social distancing in daily life.

This aims to widely inform about non-face-to-face reporting methods using the internet and mail to enhance convenience and safety for civil petitioners.

When reporting family relationship registration via the internet, six types of reports are possible: ▲change of registration domicile ▲birth ▲name change ▲creation of surname and origin for naturalized citizens ▲creation of family relationship registration ▲correction of family relationship registration book.

By accessing the electronic family relationship registration system, completing, and submitting the report, the district office with jurisdiction over the registration domicile processes it. However, internet birth reporting depends on the hospital where the baby was born, so prior confirmation is necessary.

By mail, a total of 34 types of reports, including marriage, adoption, divorce, and death, can be submitted, including those possible via internet reporting.

Submitting the report form and attached documents by mail, the district office with jurisdiction over the place of receipt processes it. Registered mail is recommended when using mail.

The district has produced promotional materials containing this information and placed them at the Seoul Western District Court, local hospitals, and community service centers. When inquiries about family relationship registration arise, detailed guidance on non-face-to-face reporting methods is provided. It is also publicized through the district’s website, newsletters, and social media.

Moon Seok-jin, Mayor of Seodaemun-gu, said, “We will enhance residents’ safety and convenience by activating non-face-to-face civil services.”

Yeongdeungpo-gu (Mayor Chae Hyun-il) is conducting the ‘2021 Business Establishment Survey’ targeting all business establishments engaged in industrial activities within the district.

The ‘Business Establishment Survey’ is a statistical survey project jointly promoted by Statistics Korea and local governments. The results are widely used as basic data for policy formulation and evaluation, academic research, and regional development planning.

The survey targets 64,604 business establishments engaged in industrial activities within the region. Until March 6, 124 survey personnel will conduct investigations on eight items, including business name, type of business, and number of employees.

The targets were selected based on the Business Register (SBR) of Statistics Korea. Especially, businesses without separate business sites due to changes in business structures such as e-commerce, freelancers, and one-person media are also included.

Additionally, the survey map has been revamped using Geographic Information System (GIS) to enable more accurate and efficient surveys.

Considering the COVID-19 spread situation, a general manager and survey support manager have been designated as quarantine managers to check compliance with quarantine rules, and on-site and non-face-to-face surveys will be conducted in parallel.

Non-face-to-face surveys are expected to be conducted via mobile online and mail.

Chae Hyun-il, Mayor of Yeongdeungpo-gu, said, “Collected data will be strictly protected and not used for purposes other than statistics compilation,” and added, “Since it is used as basic data for policy making, we ask for active cooperation for accurate surveys.”

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