Population of 660,000 in Songpa-gu, Seoul's No.1 Position Firmly Maintained for 15 Years

Last year, population reached 659,000, 100,000 more than the 2nd place... Confirming the reputation as Seoul's largest city

Number one in births, number one in natural population increase, second in youth population... Establishing itself as a young city

Population in Geoyeo-dong and Wirye-dong each increased by 5,000... Redevelopment effects becoming visible

With rapid promotion of redevelopment and reconstruction in the 8th local government term, the '700,000 population city' is within reach

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Songpa-gu (Mayor Seo Gang-seok) reaffirmed its reputation as the largest city by ranking first in population among Seoul's 25 autonomous districts last year.

As of the end of December 2022, the resident registration population of Songpa-gu was 658,801, the highest among Seoul's 25 autonomous districts. This is the largest number among 226 basic local governments nationwide, excluding city and provincial units, and is about 100,000 more than Gangseo-gu, which ranked second in Seoul with 569,166 people.

Songpa-gu has held the number one position in Seoul's population for a solid 15 years. Based on the Ministry of the Interior and Safety's resident registration population statistics, Songpa-gu has consistently maintained the top population spot in Seoul since data was registered in the system in 2008.

Notably, Songpa-gu's population showed natural increase. Natural population change is calculated by subtracting the number of deaths from the number of births. Since 2019, South Korea has experienced a 'population dead cross' phenomenon where deaths outnumber births. In fact, 20 out of Seoul's 25 autonomous districts experienced natural population decline last year.

Songpa-gu's natural population increase was 376, about twice that of Yeongdeungpo-gu, which ranked second with 191. This was mainly due to Songpa-gu having the highest number of births in Seoul last year, with 3,374 newborns.

Songpa-gu also showed characteristics of a young city. Last year, the average age was 42.6 years, 1.4 years younger than Seoul's average of 44 years. Additionally, the youth population aged 19 to 34 (according to the Youth Basic Act) was 147,472, ranking second after Gwanak-gu (167,463).

Another notable feature was that while Songpa-gu's population increased by 463 compared to the previous year, Geoyeo-dong and Wirye-dong each saw increases of approximately 5,000 (4,938 and 5,382 respectively).

The population growth in these two areas was attributed to the redevelopment of Geoyeo 2-1 district and the creation of Wirye New Town last year. The district analyzed that active promotion of redevelopment and reconstruction and efforts to improve residential conditions are becoming visible.

During the 8th local government term, large-scale projects such as the completion of Wirye New Town, redevelopment of the Macheon area and Jamsil 5 Complex, rapid promotion of redevelopment and reconstruction, construction of the Wirye Line tram and Wirye Sinsa Line, development of the Songpa ICT Security Cluster and Seongdong District Prison site, and attraction of the Korea National University of Arts are progressing smoothly, and the population is expected to continue growing toward a 700,000 population city.

The district plans to achieve internal growth by improving residents' quality of life, not just external urban growth. To this end, it plans to continue initiatives such as the nationwide first one-stop service for permits and civil complaints implemented last October, complex redevelopment of aging community centers, expansion of support for culture, arts, and community sports, and expansion of green spaces to prepare for diversified administrative demands.

Seo Gang-seok, Mayor of Songpa-gu, said, “Population is a fundamental element and an important driving force for urban development. We will continue to actively promote projects that brighten Songpa-gu’s future and improve residents’ quality of life to maintain the reputation as a premium city where everyone wants to live.”

Gangdong-gu Begins Full-Scale Construction of Sangil 2-dong Community Center

Designed as a resident-open facility through design competition... Includes community lounge, kids cafe, etc.

Total investment of 17.4 billion KRW, construction starts in April this year, scheduled for completion in December 2024

Gangdong-gu (Mayor Lee Soo-hee) announced on the 16th that it will begin full-scale construction of the Sangil 2-dong Community Center starting this April.

The Sangil 2-dong Community Center is planned to be located in the Godeok Gangil 3 District of Gangdong-gu. After Sangil 2-dong was separated from Gangil-dong in July 2021, a temporary office was set up nearby rather than in the district itself, and it has been operating there since. The new community center is expected to alleviate residents' inconvenience and facilitate smooth administrative services.

Additionally, with an expected 1,206 new households moving into Godeok Gangil 3 District by 2025, the Sangil 2-dong Community Center will be developed as a core infrastructure for administration, culture, welfare, and arts.

In October 2021, the district held a design competition and selected one final design out of 24 submissions. Subsequently, a construction advisory group composed of local residents and experts held three advisory meetings, refining the design into a detailed and substantial plan. As a result, the final design service was completed in January this year, and full-scale construction will begin in April.

The design concept is to “gift a shared communication plaza to local residents.” The center will include a community lounge and shared plaza on the first floor, a kids cafe on the third floor, and a multipurpose auditorium on the fifth floor, providing a community center with diverse cultural functions for local residents.

In particular, the third floor will feature a kids cafe space where young children can enjoy and experience activities, making the community center not just an administrative facility but a friendly space where various age groups in the community can participate and connect.

Mayor Lee Soo-hee said, “The Sangil 2-dong Community Center will be an upgraded, resident-friendly facility with excellent design. We will provide administrative support to ensure smooth preparation and minimize inconvenience to residents.”

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