Yeongdeungpo-gu Achieves Social Economy Public Procurement Target Early... Yongsan-gu Expands Childbirth Incentive Amount

[Seoul District News] Yeongdeungpo-gu Achieves 4.9 Billion KRW Performance Exceeding 4.4 Billion KRW Target by 500 Million KRW as of End of September & Considering COVID-19 Impact and Raw Material Price Rise, Target Raised by 400 Million KRW from Last Year ... Yongsan-gu Offers 2 Million KRW for Second Child, 4 Million KRW (2 Million KRW Cash) for Third, 6 Million KRW (4 Million KRW Cash) for Fourth ... Why Did Kim Tae-woo, Gangseo-gu Mayor, Become a 'Cheongnyeom Master Instructor'?

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Yeongdeungpo-gu (Mayor Choi Ho-kwon) announced that as of the end of September, the amount of public procurement from the social economy sector reached 4.9 billion KRW, exceeding the annual target of 4.4 billion KRW by 500 million KRW.

The social economy public procurement project is a program designed to help social enterprises take root by consuming goods and services from companies that aim to achieve both profit and public interest, such as (preliminary) social enterprises, (social) cooperatives, self-support enterprises, and village enterprises.

The district promotes various projects every year to ensure the stable growth of social economy enterprises. This year, considering the impact of COVID-19 and rising raw material costs, the public procurement target was set at 4.4 billion KRW, an increase of 400 million KRW from last year.

This amount represents about a 40% increase compared to the 3.2 billion KRW target in 2019 and accounts for 10.6% of the total expected purchases of 41.5 billion KRW by Yeongdeungpo-gu Office this year.

The public procurement applies to a total of 86 locations, including the district office, health centers, community service centers, public corporations established by Yeongdeungpo-gu, and district-funded support organizations.

To achieve the target, the district held various events such as the ‘Popogre Social Popup Store’ and ‘Together Market,’ promoting social economy enterprises’ products both online and offline.

As a result, by the end of September, 2,456 transactions amounting to approximately 4.91 billion KRW were achieved, surpassing the annual target.

The main reasons are attributed to the easing of social distancing measures due to COVID-19, allowing offline events to be held, and an improved awareness of value-based consumption throughout the public sector.

The district plans to continue the social economy public procurement project until the end of the year to sustain the sales growth effect for social economy enterprises.

Choi Ho-kwon, Mayor of Yeongdeungpo-gu, stated, “Public procurement has significantly contributed to the stable growth of social economy enterprises,” and added, “We will strive further to lead value-based consumption by setting an example as a public institution.”

Yongsan-gu (Mayor Park Hee-young) has increased the childbirth encouragement grant for families with four or more children from 2 million KRW to 6 million KRW.

This is intended to spread a childbirth encouragement atmosphere and support multi-child families.

The district revised the ‘Yongsan-gu Childbirth Support Fund Ordinance’ in July and passed the first supplementary budget proposal of the Yongsan-gu Council in October.

Accordingly, for the first and second child, a ‘First Meeting Voucher’ worth 2 million KRW is provided; from the third child onward, in addition to the voucher, the district provides 2 million KRW in cash, and for the fourth child, an additional 4 million KRW is given.

In 2021, the childbirth support amounts were 500,000 KRW for the first child, 700,000 KRW for the second, 1 million KRW for the third, and 2 million KRW for the fourth.

The recipients of the childbirth support are fathers or mothers of the third child born on or after January 1, 2022, who have been registered residents of Yongsan-gu for at least one year prior to the child’s birth date. The support is applied retroactively.

Eligible recipients can apply through the local community service center or Government24 either at the time of the child’s birth registration or within one year from the birth date.

Park Hee-young, Mayor of Yongsan-gu, said, “While the childbirth encouragement grant may not be a fundamental solution to low birth rates, it can serve as a minimum catalyst,” and added, “We will devise various support measures to make Yongsan a premium city where it is good to have and raise children.”

Meanwhile, since January this year, the district has been providing a monthly infant allowance of 300,000 KRW to infants under home care born after January, and expanded the child allowance from children under 7 years old to those under 8 years old.

Kim Tae-woo, Mayor of Gangseo-gu, will personally take the stage as a top lecturer on integrity.

Seoul Gangseo-gu (Mayor Kim Tae-woo) announced that on the 27th, it will hold a ‘Special Lecture on Integrity and Public Interest Reporting Stories with the Mayor’ for all employees at the Gangseo-gu Citizens’ Hall.

This lecture was organized following Mayor Kim’s strong determination to create an organizational culture that can carry out administration solely for the residents by improving proactive administration and integrity among all employees.

Since the beginning of his term, Mayor Kim has emphasized reforming the public service to foster an honest organizational culture by abolishing unnecessary customs, innovating work methods, and activating the internal whistleblowing system.

The lecture will be divided into two parts: Part 1, a special lecture on integrity, and Part 2, stories about public interest reporting.

In the special lecture on integrity, Mayor Kim will personally serve as the top lecturer, explaining why integrity is important in our society today.

Having worked as a prosecutor’s investigator across three governments and in the Special Inspection Team of the Blue House’s Office of Civil Affairs, Mayor Kim will lecture employees on the necessity of an honest organizational culture and the attitudes required to become an honest public official.

In the public interest reporting session, Lee Ji-moon, Chairman of the Korea Integrity Movement Headquarters (former Seoul City Council member), will lecture on the internal whistleblowing system and the Public Interest Whistleblower Protection Act to strengthen public officials’ ethical standards.

Lee Ji-moon, who exposed the military absentee fraudulent election in 1992 and is regarded as a pioneer of whistleblowing and a symbol of anti-corruption in Korea, will explain the necessity of public interest reporting and its positive impact on society, helping to enhance employees’ integrity.

The district plans to raise awareness of integrity among all employees through this lecture and work to improve Gangseo-gu’s integrity level, which has remained at grade 3 since 2015.

Kim Tae-woo, Mayor of Gangseo-gu, said, “It is important to shift the perception that corruption among public officials includes not only bribery and entertainment but also complacency and passive administration,” and added, “We will strictly punish wrongful acts by public officials and create an integrity city Gangseo where employees who perform proactive and honest administration receive many benefits, thereby providing advanced administration trusted by residents.”

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