Bicycle Insurance and Steam Cleaning... Nowon-gu Truly a Bicycle-Friendly City

[Seoul District News] Nowon-gu Residents' Automatic Enrollment in 'Bicycle Insurance' Reaches 2,383 by 2021 with Over 1.5 Billion KRW Paid...Free Bicycle Steam Cleaning Service Receives High Resident Satisfaction, Expanded to 3 Locations This Year...Bicycle Parking Lots Established Near Subway Stations, Automatic Air Pumps Installed, Bicycle Lane Markings...Seongbuk-gu to Operate Seoul-Style Shared Daycare Centers Starting March

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Nowon-gu (Mayor Oh Seung-rok) announced that it is focusing on creating a bicycle-friendly environment by expanding bicycle insurance enrollment and steam cleaners to ensure the safety and convenience of the increasing number of bicycle users.

First, Nowon-gu residents are enrolled in bicycle insurance. The district started enrolling all residents in "bicycle insurance" for free in 2015, the first in Seoul, and this year it is promoting free enrollment for all residents again so that residents can use bicycles with peace of mind.

Not only residents registered in Nowon-gu but also anyone who rents and rides a bicycle at any of the three public bicycle rental stations in Nowon-gu can receive insurance benefits.

The coverage for Nowon-gu residents includes nationwide bicycle accidents with ▲10 million KRW for death ▲up to 10 million KRW for permanent disability ▲up to 600,000 KRW for diagnosis over 4 weeks ▲200,000 KRW consolation for hospitalization over 7 days with diagnosis over 4 weeks.

In case of an accident while using Nowon-gu public bicycles, coverage includes ▲10 million KRW for death ▲up to 10 million KRW for permanent disability ▲15,000 KRW per day for hospitalization over 4 days up to 180 days ▲100,000 KRW (with a deductible of 50,000 KRW) for bicycle damage or theft.

Insurance claims can be made within 3 years from the date of the accident. The district paid a total of about 1.5 billion KRW in insurance benefits to 2,383 people by 2021.

Next, the operation of bicycle steam cleaners will also be expanded. In October last year, the district installed steam cleaners at two bicycle rental stations in Sanggye Station and Junggye Station Children's Traffic Park and conducted a pilot operation.

This method cleans dust and various contaminants on bicycles using high-temperature water and steam without detergents, and the operation attracted great interest with 1,665 users over two months.

This year, the district plans to add one more steam cleaner at the public bicycle rental station on Seombat-gil in Gongneung-dong, operating a total of three locations. Dedicated temporary staff will be assigned at each rental station to prevent safety accidents when using the steam cleaners.

Nowon-gu residents can receive the service free of charge without a separate reservation, and the cleaning is available not only for regular bicycles but also for mountain bikes and children's bicycles.

The operation period this year is from March 15 to November 30 (closed for summer vacation in August), operating from Tuesday to Sunday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

In addition, the district is continuously maintaining bicycle facilities by creating bicycle parking lots centered around major subway stations such as Sanggye Station, Kwangwoon University Station, and Hwarangdae Station, replacing and newly installing low-floor basic racks for easier bicycle storage, installing automatic air pumps, and conducting pavement work on bicycle paths.

Oh Seung-rok, Mayor of Nowon-gu, said, "The best way individuals can reduce greenhouse gas emissions in response to the climate change crisis is by riding bicycles," adding, "We will continue to make efforts to create a bicycle-friendly city where residents can use bicycles safely and conveniently."

Seongbuk-gu (Mayor Lee Seung-ro) will operate Seoul-type Shared Daycare Centers starting in March.

Seoul-type Shared Daycare Centers share programs and spaces among nearby daycare centers to improve the quality of childcare, jointly manage admission waiting lists, and promote operational efficiency, creating a childcare model where daycare centers coexist and support caregivers and children.

To this end, Seongbuk-gu conducted an open recruitment for all daycare centers in the area from January 24 to February 8, showing high interest with a total of 3 communities and 11 daycare centers applying. Through the Seoul City selection committee review, one community (Seongbukcheon Community) and four daycare centers (Donam Church, Seongsin, Atelier, SK Kids Montessori) were selected.

These shared daycare centers will develop and operate shared programs tailored to the characteristics of the region through operating councils and teacher meetings with experts from the Seongbuk-gu Childcare Support Center.

They will also receive support such as customized professional consulting, community operating expenses, specialized program costs, and environment improvement expenses. Selected shared daycare centers will also have plaques installed to increase recognition and encourage parental participation.

Lee Seung-ro, Mayor of Seongbuk-gu, said, "In an era where population decline is a concern, we will make various efforts to expand Seoul-type Shared Daycare Centers that promote coexistence and cooperation to improve the quality of childcare environments."

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