[Interview] Lee Seung-ro, Seongbuk District Mayor, "Accelerating the Creation of Seongbuk History and Culture Park and the Construction of Seongbuk Modern and Contemporary Literature Museum"

Multiple Redevelopment and Reorganization Projects Underway in Seongbuk-gu Expected to Increase Population by 60,000-70,000; A Major Opportunity for Seongbuk's Development, Prioritizing Smooth and Swift Progress... Prioritize Early Completion of Naebusunhwanro Wolgok Downward Ramp and Dongbuk Line Light Rail Construction

[Asia Economy Reporter Jong-il Park] “We will prioritize the early completion of the Wolgok downward ramp on the Internal Circulation Road and the Dongbuk Line light rail construction, and do our best to create Seongbuk History and Culture Park and build the Seongbuk Modern and Contemporary Literature Museum.”

Seongbuk District Mayor Seung-ro Lee stated, “Based on the field administrative experience accumulated through communication with residents over the past four years, we will work hard to resolve local long-standing projects and livelihood issues in the 8th elected term to realize the promised ‘Together Happy Seongbuk’ for the residents.”

Over the past four years, Mayor Lee has met tens of thousands of residents directly at the field level, listened to their voices, and operated a ‘Field Mayor’s Office’ to solve problems, earning the nickname ‘Field Mayor’ for having the largest mayor’s office.

Mayor Lee predicts that with many redevelopment and reconstruction projects currently underway in Seongbuk District, the population is expected to increase by 60,000 to 70,000 once completed. He emphasized that this is a great opportunity for Seongbuk’s development, and to ensure smooth progress and swift promotion, he will accurately identify local issues and promptly resolve problems on site.

He added that the 8th elected term is a period to push forward and realize these projects with speed. He pledged to prioritize the early completion of the Wolgok downward ramp on the Internal Circulation Road and the Dongbuk Line light rail construction, as well as to do his best to promptly complete the creation of Seongbuk History and Culture Park, the construction of the Seongbuk Modern and Contemporary Literature Museum, and the new complex building for the aging community centers.

Furthermore, he aims to enhance the city’s dignity through the expansion of living infrastructure, create a city where residents can enjoy nature and culture nearby with spaces for rest, realize a welfare community where all generations and various household types are happy, and promote a livelihood economy where universities and the local community advance together. He pledged to work harder for the happy lives of Seongbuk residents.

To this end, he will continuously discover and promote life-oriented policies that Seongbuk residents can feel, creating a livable and comfortable city, a safe and happy daily life, and a city of Seongbuk that residents can enjoy.

Regarding the recent formation of the Rapid Promotion Team for Redevelopment and Reconstruction, Mayor Lee said, “Seongbuk District currently has the largest number of redevelopment and reconstruction projects nationwide. To meet residents’ aspirations and respond more efficiently to real estate policies, we established the Rapid Promotion Team for Redevelopment and Reconstruction, a campaign pledge of the 8th elected term.”

The Rapid Promotion Team is led by the Deputy Mayor, with the Director of the Urban Management Bureau as deputy leader. It includes not only the department in charge of redevelopment projects but also all departments playing key roles in the urban development roadmap. Additionally, members of the National Assembly and others participate as advisors, concentrating expertise and know-how related to redevelopment and reconstruction projects.

He stated that about 100 redevelopment projects, including public redevelopment, rapid integrated planning, and Moa Town, currently underway or planned throughout Seongbuk District, as well as the Jangwi 11 and 13 districts facing difficulties due to the lifting of redevelopment zones, will be promoted swiftly and successfully completed by gathering residents’ opinions and providing active support, aiming to elevate Seongbuk as a representative premium city of Seoul.

Regarding life-oriented policy projects that residents can feel in their daily lives, first, he plans to install LED ground pedestrian signals in all school zones within the district.

Seongbuk District is focusing on the safety of students’ commuting routes due to the increase in the number of students caused by completed or ongoing redevelopment and reconstruction projects such as Gireum New Town and Jangwi New Town. Therefore, LED ground signals will be installed at crosswalks on major commuting routes to enhance signal visibility, creating a safe walking environment for children and residents alike.

Second, he will establish a community center for single-person households to promote local community activation in response to the rapid increase in single-person households. Single-person households are concentrated mainly in university areas such as Samseon-dong, Dongseon-dong, and Anam-dong. In the 7th elected term, Seongbuk District established a comprehensive support plan for single-person households and implemented projects such as home cooking and smart plug support. Going further, the district plans to build a community center to improve the emotional stability and social relationships of single-person households, thereby enhancing their quality of life.

Third, the support target for the Child and Youth Companion Card will be expanded. Seongbuk District received the nation’s first UNICEF Child-Friendly City certification in 2013 through efforts to help children and youth grow as agents of their own lives, and this year, it also obtained the nation’s first second-level advanced certification. Going forward, the district will continue to broaden opportunities for children and youth to equally enjoy culture and arts and strengthen their initiative and autonomy.

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