Yongsan-gu Operates Integrated Administrative Center for Remote Work and Vaccination... Jungnang-gu Supports 8 Billion Won for Education Expenses This Year (3rd in Seoul Autonomous Districts)

[Seoul District News] Yongsan-gu Starts Integrated Remote Work and Vaccination Administrative Hotline from the 23rd, Operating 20 Staff from 9 AM to 9 PM Daily... Jungnang-gu Allocates 8 Billion Won for 2022 Education Expenses, Investing in 48 Elementary, Middle, and High Schools to Foster Future Talent and Secure Quality Educational Content at the Highest Level Among Districts... Nowon-gu Rolls Up Sleeves for Youth Startups, Establishing Youth Stores No. 7, 9, and 10... Seongbuk-gu Reveals Secrets for Successful High School Life through Online Special Lectures... Gangseo-gu Becomes the First District Nationwide to Operate a 24-Hour Mental Emergency...

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Yongsan-gu (Mayor Seong Jang-hyun) will begin operating a Home Treatment and Vaccination Administrative Information Center (Consultation Center) starting from the 23rd. This is to respond quickly and systematically to residents' inquiries according to different situations.

Since February 9, monitoring of confirmed cases in the general management group has been excluded, causing a surge in inquiries to public health centers, making phone connections difficult. Additionally, departments differ by field such as COVID-19 test results, self-quarantine, home treatment, emergency patient management, and vaccination consultation, which made rapid information provision challenging.

The district has set up the consultation center at Yongsan Art Hall and assigned 20 staff members to operate it daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. without holidays.

The consultation fields include administrative counseling related to home treatment, PCR test results, screening clinic operating hours, vaccination, and self-quarantine guidance.

A district official said, "A call center will be established to provide guidance on frequently changing quarantine rules and home treatment," adding, "If you write down your inquiries in advance before calling, smooth consultation will be possible."

From 9 p.m. to 9 a.m. the next day, when emergency situations may occur, consultations can be received at the Dongbu Hospital call center.

Yongsan-gu Mayor Seong Jang-hyun said, "With daily confirmed cases exceeding 400 in the region, there were many difficulties in phone guidance," and added, "We will do our best to operate an integrated administrative information center to enable prompt response."

The district will review reinforcing the staff of the integrated Home Treatment and Vaccination Administrative Information Center in response to the increasing trend of confirmed cases.

Jungnang-gu (Mayor Ryu Kyung-gi) announced that it will support 8 billion KRW in educational expenses this year (3rd highest among autonomous districts) to revitalize public education and nurture future talents.

This amount is more than double the 3.8 billion KRW in 2018 and ranks third highest among Seoul's autonomous districts.

On the 10th, Jungnang-gu held an educational expense subsidy review committee composed of education officials, parents, district council members, and education experts, and confirmed 216 projects worth 3 billion KRW for academic achievement improvement in 48 elementary, middle, and high schools as the first phase, prioritizing support aligned with the new semester when students return to school.

Jungnang-gu focuses support on improving basic academic skills, elementary smart education (computing, STEMA, 4th industrial revolution, etc.), support for reading 1,000 books in elementary school, middle school free semester system, and high school credit system, strengthening school curriculum support, and plans to actively invest in projects to enhance local talent capabilities.

In particular, actively responding to COVID-19 such as Omicron, the district urgently provided 5 million KRW per school for quarantine personnel expenses to 48 elementary, middle, and high schools starting the semester, supporting safe and healthy school life and daily recovery, and also provided 1 million KRW for quarantine expenses to 33 kindergartens.

Additionally, 520 million KRW is provided to schools with special courses for supporting activities such as Korean traditional orchestra, orchestra, school sports clubs, and student clubs, helping students cultivate culture, arts, and physical education.

Following support for academic achievement projects, the district is preparing to support school facility improvements and modernization of educational equipment such as remodeling school libraries (Dream Library project) and establishing remote class support rooms (online studios).

Jungnang-gu is also striving to attract external funds for educational environment improvement beyond its own educational expenses. In 2021, it secured 3.6 billion KRW from the Ministry of Education and Seoul City to support facility improvements in 11 schools, and plans to make various efforts to secure external funds this year as well.

Jungnang-gu Mayor Ryu Kyung-gi said, "We continue to invest in education at the highest level among autonomous districts to create an educational environment suitable for the post-COVID and 4th industrial revolution era," adding, "Through continuous improvement of school education conditions and revitalization of public education, we will eliminate educational gaps with other regions and make Jungnang-gu a city of education full of dreams and hope."

Nowon-gu (Mayor Oh Seung-rok) announced that it will create youth stores near Nowon Mathematics Culture Center and Seokgye Station and recruit young entrepreneurs to start businesses there.

There are three rental spaces in total: Nowon Mathematics Culture Center 1st floor ▲ Youth Store No.7 (19-gil 28, Hangulbiseok-ro, Nowon Mathematics Culture Center 1st floor, 24.8㎡), near Seokgye Station Exit 1 ▲ No.9 (337-4 Hwarang-ro, 27㎡) ▲ No.10 (337-4 Hwarang-ro, 21.4㎡).

The district eliminates deposits and reduces 50% of monthly rent to reduce the burden on young entrepreneurs. The district's youth entrepreneurship support is not limited to simple rent reduction. It provides opportunities for young people with entrepreneurial dreams to practice starting a business, offering basic education on procedures and taxation, as well as practical education such as expert consulting and mentoring by industry.

This reduces the risk of jumping into entrepreneurship without experience or operational know-how and provides multifaceted support so that youth entrepreneurship can lead to actual success.

Applicants must be young people aged 19 to 39 (individual or team), with preference given to those registered as residents of Nowon-gu. If applying as a team, all members must be young people. Youth stores can start businesses in industries desired by young operators, excluding bars, arcades, and entertainment establishments.

The application period is until February 25. After the first document screening and the second selection committee review, the final successful candidates will be announced on March 8. Detailed information on application methods and required documents can be found on the Nowon-gu Office website under public notices.

Selected young entrepreneurs will continuously participate in the youth store operators' networking supported by the district, connecting entrepreneurial ideas to successful know-how and sharing the process. Performance will be evaluated three months before the contract ends, allowing one contract renewal.

Meanwhile, Nowon Youth Stores started with the opening of stores No.1 and No.2 in February last year, and store No.10 is scheduled to open in April.

The businesses started through youth stores have been diverse, including No.1 cafe 'Vamos Espresso,' No.2 handmade cookie specialty store 'Ghost Cookie,' No.3 zero-waste product store selling handmade soap 'Dokkaebi Soap,' No.4 youth complex cultural art space combining drawing cafe and gallery 'Ordinary Art Lab Chacha X Gallery Jiwonssi,' No.5 design studio supporting design work production and exhibition planning 'Studio Fireworks,' No.6 autonomous driving coding school 'Make Place Taki,' and No.8 sandwich and beverage food trailer 'Dal, Bit' at Danghyeoncheon.

So far, 11 young entrepreneurs have started businesses at Nowon Youth Stores, building a foundation for entrepreneurship by finding harmony and convergence points with existing local commercial districts with fresh ideas and passion.

The district plans to add up to 14 youth stores within this year and increase the number of youth stores annually by utilizing various locations.

Nowon-gu Mayor Oh Seung-rok said, "Nowon Youth Stores provide a great opportunity for young people with fresh ideas to experience and realize entrepreneurship with small capital," adding, "We will continue to expand youth stores in various local spaces so that young people can fully develop their entrepreneurial skills."

Seongbuk-gu (Mayor Lee Seung-ro) will hold an online special lecture titled ‘Analysis and Preparation of School Life Records’ on the 24th for middle and high school students and parents in the district ahead of the new semester. The lecture aims to support parents and students who feel both excitement and anxiety.

The main topics include ▲ Introduction and analysis of key items in school life records ▲ Recording and preparation of school life records ▲ Guidance for successful high school life. Lecturer Kim Myung-yeop (Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education University Admission Guidance Support Team, teacher at Hyewon Girls' High School) will introduce and analyze key items in school life records, which play a significant role in university early admission.

The lecture will be held live on YouTube from 6:30 p.m. on the 24th for about two hours.

Registration opens on the 9th at 10 a.m. on the Seongbuk-gu Office website under ‘Course Registration.’ Only applicants will receive the access link and lecture materials.

This lecture will provide parents with practical information on what their children should prepare before entering high school and how school life changes with grade advancement. Clear explanations from a current teacher will resolve questions about the composition of school life records and key management items by grade, and help with children's adaptation to school life.

Seongbuk-gu Mayor Lee Seung-ro said, "I hope middle and high school students starting the new semester gain academic motivation and enthusiasm through this online special lecture and start school life energetically. I also hope it relieves the concerns of parents who feel overwhelmed due to lack of information about their children's high school life."

In addition to this special lecture, Seongbuk-gu plans to continuously provide timely educational information throughout the year and operate lectures on various topics.

Sudden treatment and protection of psychiatric emergency patients day and night, no more worries.

Gangseo-gu, Seoul (Mayor Noh Hyun-song) announced that it will promote the nation’s first ‘24-hour Psychiatric Emergency Public Bed Operation Project’ among autonomous districts to enable immediate response to psychiatric emergency patients.

The project aims to establish a ‘psychiatric emergency response system’ that allows 24-hour treatment and hospitalization for psychiatric emergency patients at risk of self-harm or harm to others, ensuring no disruption in managing mental illness patients.

While psychiatric emergency hospitalizations have been steadily increasing every year, there is a severe shortage of psychiatric medical institutions available for hospitalization at night or on holidays.

This causes difficulties not only for patients and their families but also for police officers and emergency responders on site.

Accordingly, the district decided to promote the ‘24-hour Psychiatric Emergency Public Bed Operation Project’ in cooperation with Gangseo Police Station, fire station, and private medical institutions to ensure psychiatric emergency patients can be admitted anytime.

First, in November last year, the district enacted the ‘Ordinance on Establishing a Mental Health Crisis Response System in Gangseo-gu, Seoul’ to provide a legal basis for project promotion.

Also, Gimpo Daeun Hospital was designated as a medical institution capable of 24-hour emergency admission, and on the 15th, Gangseo-gu Public Health Center, Gimpo Daeun Hospital, Gangseo Police Station, and Gangseo Fire Station signed a business agreement to establish a rapid and appropriate response system for psychiatric emergency patients.

Based on the ‘psychiatric emergency response system’ established through the agreement, the district will officially launch the project from March.

It is expected that the project will enable more effective prevention of related crimes and incidents through rapid and efficient protection and treatment of mental illness patients.

Gangseo-gu Mayor Noh Hyun-song said, "We expect a significant improvement in response capability for psychiatric emergency patients through this project," adding, "We will continue to strengthen the psychiatric emergency response system and do our best to create a safe environment for all residents."

Gwangjin-gu (Mayor Kim Seon-gap) will hold the first ‘Mind Canvas’ contest in 2022 to bring hope and vitality to residents' daily lives.

Gwangjin-gu prepared this ‘Mind Canvas’ project for the first time this year to inject hope and vitality into residents' lives exhausted by the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic and to create a space for empathy and communication where hearts connect.

Any Korean citizen can submit creative phrases and images, and selected phrases and images will be shared with Gwangjin residents through various methods such as banners and electronic display boards within the district.

The first ‘Mind Canvas’ contest period is until March 1, with the theme being beautiful creative phrases related to ‘spring’ and ‘summer’ containing hope. Creative phrases must be within 30 Korean characters excluding spaces, and images do not affect judging. Each person can submit only one entry.

Applications can be submitted by accessing the Naver form and filling out the required information and submission text. It is also possible to access directly via the QR code attached to the promotional poster.

Two winners will be selected, one each for ‘spring’ and ‘summer,’ receiving certificates and 300,000 KRW prize each. The selected ‘spring’ works will be shared with residents from April 1 to May 31, and ‘summer’ works from June 1 to August 31.

The results will be announced on March 25 and notified via the Gwangjin-gu website and individual text messages. For more details, contact the Public Relations Officer.

Gwangjin-gu Mayor Kim Seon-gap said, "Through this Mind Canvas project, I hope residents exhausted by COVID-19 feel comfort and healing everywhere," adding, "We look forward to many participants who will bring heartfelt resonance to residents."

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