Geumcheon-gu Installs Sky Bridge Between Geumdong Elementary and Byeoksan Apartments... Seodaemun-gu Develops 120-Space Underground Parking Lot in Dongnimmun Cultural Park

[Seoul District News] Geumcheon-gu to Open 15-Passenger Vertical Elevator and 56m Pedestrian Deck in December... Seodaemun-gu Begins Construction of Underground Parking up to 3rd Basement Floor on 18th, Completion Planned for June 2023... Nowon-gu Expands Automated External Defibrillator (AED) Distribution... Jungnang-gu Selected as Best District in Seoul Sewerage Management Evaluation, Invested 13.3 Billion KRW Last Year to Maintain 15.3km Sewer Pipes

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Geumcheon-gu (Mayor Yu Seong-hoon) has officially launched the "Hill Area Mobility Convenience Facility Installation Project," which involves installing a vertical elevator and a connecting pedestrian deck between Geumdong Elementary School and Gwanak Byeoksan Town Apartment Complex 5.

Geumdong Elementary School is located in Siheung 2-dong, Geumcheon-gu, where Gwanak Byeoksan Town Apartment Complexes 5 and 6 are situated. However, due to the residential area being built on a hillside, residents have experienced inconvenience in mobility.

To access nearby community facilities such as the resident center, library, and welfare center, residents had to take a long detour via Geumha-ro or share a narrow and steep slope in front of the school with students.

This project was selected through a resident proposal project conducted by Seoul City to improve mobility in hilly areas. Notably, the initial proposer was a parent group from Geumdong Elementary School called "Siheunggol Ttubogi."

Initially, the project started with a city budget support of 1.9 billion KRW based on the basic plan at the time of selection. However, during the opinion-gathering process with nearby residents and the school, Geumcheon-gu actively requested Seoul City to increase the budget by 1.3 billion KRW to reflect suggestions such as separating student and resident pathways and installing a canopy above the pedestrian bridge.

Geumcheon-gu plans to install a separate pedestrian path from the main gate of Geumdong Elementary School to the elevator, reflecting residents' opinions. This will allow general residents to move without detours, and Geumdong Elementary students will be guaranteed a safe commuting route and learning environment separated from outsiders.

Since the construction will take place in a narrow space between a large apartment complex and the elementary school, Geumcheon-gu carefully reviewed the construction plan to ensure safe and precise execution, including equipment access and operation. The district will also minimize inconvenience to students and residents through continuous coordination of the construction schedule with the apartment residents' representative meeting and the school.

Yu Seong-hoon, Mayor of Geumcheon-gu, said, "This project is a meaningful case of solving local problems through public-private cooperation," adding, "We will take this opportunity to listen once again to the voices of residents and do our best to resolve their inconveniences."

Seodaemun-gu (Mayor Moon Seok-jin) announced on the 17th that it will create an underground public parking lot beneath Independence Gate Cultural Park (263 Yeongcheon-dong) and remodel the existing park above into a new urban resting space.

Due to a lack of parking spaces in the area, visitors to the nearby Yeongcheon Market and local residents experienced inconvenience, and the park was aging and not functioning properly.

The district was able to start construction after several consultations with Seoul City to promote this long-awaited resident project.

The underground parking lot will cover a total floor area of 6,080㎡ with 120 parking spaces (55 on basement level 3, 44 on basement level 2, 17 on basement level 1, and 4 on the ground floor). The park will also be expanded to include the nearby traffic island.

The budget is expected to total 20.7 billion KRW, including approximately 15.6 billion KRW in national funds.

The district will hold a groundbreaking ceremony at the site at 2 p.m. on the 18th, then begin demolition of the traffic center within the park later this month to start full-scale construction, aiming for completion in June 2023.

Moon Seok-jin, Mayor of Seodaemun-gu, said, "The parking lot will be available for visitors to Yeongcheon Market and surrounding shops, and the park's image will be improved, which is expected to help revitalize the local economy."

Meanwhile, during construction, the installation of temporary fences will restrict right-turn traffic between the traffic island and the park. Instead, the existing outermost straight lane will be converted into a right-turn lane.

Automated External Defibrillator Installed at Danghyeoncheon Specialized Flower Bed

Nowon-gu (Mayor Oh Seung-rok) announced that it has additionally installed automated external defibrillators (AEDs) at a total of 61 locations, including parks and walking trails frequently used by residents.

An automated external defibrillator is an emergency medical device that automatically analyzes the electrocardiogram of a cardiac arrest patient, delivers an electric shock, and guides the next steps. According to data from the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, using an AED together with cardiopulmonary resuscitation can nearly triple the survival rate of cardiac arrest patients.

The district has continuously supplied AEDs, supporting not only legally required institutions such as multi-unit residential buildings with over 500 households but also welfare facilities and multi-use facilities. It has installed and managed a total of 860 AEDs, the highest number among autonomous districts nationwide.

This time, 61 new AEDs were installed. In addition to 15 indoor locations, 46 outdoor locations such as neighborhood parks and riverside walking trails, where residents frequently visit, were equipped to enable rapid response to emergencies occurring outdoors.

Previously, due to the device's requirement to be stored between 0~40℃, outdoor installation was difficult. To solve this problem, the district built outdoor storage boxes with temperature and humidity control functions, allowing outdoor storage regardless of season or weather.

Among the 46 outdoor locations, 17 sites without electricity supply were equipped with domestically developed solar-powered storage boxes for the first time. This allows storage boxes to be installed anywhere outdoors without electricity, greatly improving accessibility, the district expects.

The locations of AEDs throughout Nowon-gu can be checked via the "Nowon Smart City" app. It displays the current location and the nearest AED to enable quick use in emergencies.

The district plans to continue installing outdoor AEDs at local landmarks and major resident routes, while regularly inspecting and managing already installed devices and storage boxes.

Meanwhile, regular CPR training, which was suspended due to COVID-19, will resume from the 21st. The district enacted the first-ever CPR education ordinance nationwide in March 2012 and established a permanent training center on the first floor of the district office in May of the same year.

CPR training is available not only to those required to complete mandatory education but also to any resident. Over 30,000 people participate annually, with a cumulative total of 230,000 participants, showing great interest and response from residents.

Oh Seung-rok, Mayor of Nowon-gu, said, "If appropriate treatment is provided within the golden time of 4 minutes after cardiac arrest, brain damage can be prevented and the risk of death significantly reduced," adding, "I hope AEDs will lead to rapid rescue actions for patients in emergencies and help save the precious lives of families and neighbors."

Jungnang-gu (Mayor Ryu Gyeong-gi) was selected as the "Best District" in the 2021 Seoul Metropolitan Government's Autonomous District Sewerage Management Performance Evaluation.

The sewerage management performance evaluation comprehensively assesses 19 items across four areas: sewerage-related budget, maintenance management, construction, and policy cooperation for all 25 autonomous districts in Seoul. Jungnang-gu earned the honor of Best District again in 2021, following its selection in 2018 and 2019.

With this selection, the district is expected to receive an institutional commendation and a subsidy of 9 million KRW.

Last year, the district invested 13.3 billion KRW to repair approximately 15.3 km of deteriorated sewer pipes over 30 years old and poor-quality sewer culverts rated C to D, ensuring smooth drainage and preventing safety accidents caused by road sinkholes.

Additionally, it spent 3 billion KRW to clean garbage and sediment from regional sewer pipes before the rainy season to prevent flooding, and 400 million KRW to install air injection devices in septic tanks of local buildings to alleviate residents' discomfort caused by sewer odors. The district actively cooperated in policy projects while promoting sewerage business.

Ryu Gyeong-gi, Mayor of Jungnang-gu, said, "Since it concerns residents' safety, we will timely maintain old sewer pipes to prevent flood damage and road collapses," adding, "This year, we will continue systematic sewerage management to resolve residents' inconveniences and create a safe living environment." Jungnang-gu Office, Water Management Division

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