Redevelopment of Areas Adjacent to Yongsan International Business District

Yongsan-gu Advances Service for Establishing Urban Redevelopment Plans

Proactive Redevelopment Planning for Long-Term Undeveloped Redevelopment Zones

Target Areas Include Bingchang Rainwater Pump Station and Samgak Mansion Surroundings... Collecting Residents' Opinions and Coordinating with Nearby Development Plans

Goal to Request Designation of Redevelopment Zones by Seoul City Next Year

Around Bingchang Rainwater Pump Station and Samgak Mansion Area

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Yongsan-gu is promoting a ‘Redevelopment Zone Designation Service’ to enable the district mayor to directly establish redevelopment plans for long-term undeveloped redevelopment zones.

The target redevelopment zones are the areas around Bingchang Rainwater Pump Station and Samgak Mansion. These areas urgently require urban redevelopment due to narrow roads and aging buildings, but the designation of redevelopment zones has been delayed.

The area around Bingchang Rainwater Pump Station at Hangang-ro 3-ga 40-881 was designated as a redevelopment zone in 2010. The project was stalled while considering linked development with the Yongsan International Business District.

Since the development plan for Yongsan International Business District is being reactivated, the district plans to establish redevelopment plans that actively reflect residents’ opinions to maximize synergy effects.

Samgak Mansion is an aging building constructed in 1970, now 52 years old. This area was designated as a redevelopment zone in 2016. Although redevelopment is urgently needed, Korea Electric Power Corporation, which owns about 41% of the zone, has not participated in the project, causing long delays.

Due to safety risks from the aging apartment complex, the district will establish proactive redevelopment plans through the service to accelerate project progress. Rapid urban redevelopment will also promote revitalization of the surrounding commercial areas.

Kim Seonsu, Acting Mayor of Yongsan-gu, said, “We have proactively started establishing redevelopment plans to create a pleasant and comfortable urban environment. We will spare no administrative support to ensure that undeveloped areas are smoothly redeveloped in line with the development plans of the International Business District and surrounding areas.”

The district will begin bidding for the service in February, select a service provider, and establish redevelopment plans. Based on the service results, it plans to request Seoul City to designate redevelopment zones for the target areas by next year.

Songpa Safety Experience Education Center Has Served 751,347 Visitors Since Opening in 2001... More Than Songpa-gu’s Population

The Only Facility in Seoul Offering Experience in All Six Safety Fields... Key to Popularity

Programs Covering Everyday Safety Accidents to Natural Disaster Preparedness Like Earthquakes and Typhoons Continue

Songpa-gu (Mayor Seo Gang-seok) has recorded 750,000 visitors over the past 22 years at the ‘Songpa Safety Experience Education Center,’ the first of its kind in Korea.

This number exceeds Songpa-gu’s total population of 660,000, the largest in Seoul, by about 100,000. The district attributes the center’s popularity to its wide range of experiential programs covering everyday safety accidents to natural disasters.

The Songpa Safety Experience Education Center opened in 2001 to commemorate 19 kindergarten children from Songpa-gu who lost their lives in the Hwaseong Sea Land tragedy on June 30, 1999, and to raise awareness about the importance of safety accident prevention. Located in Cheonma Neighborhood Park in Macheon-dong, it is a four-story building with a total floor area of 5,516.35㎡, operated by the Korea Children’s Safety Foundation.

The center is the only comprehensive safety experience education facility in Seoul where all experience fields designated by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety can be experienced. According to the National Safety Education Platform, among Seoul’s six autonomous districts with safety education facilities, only Songpa-gu offers experiences in all six fields: daily life, traffic, nature, society, crime, and health. Nationwide, only five facilities, including Songpa-gu’s, provide all these experiences.

Considering the recent increase in large-scale disasters and safety accidents, the district plans to enhance the quality of safety education programs this year to promote a culture of safety.

Programs such as ‘Safety Storytelling Education’ that teaches safety theory considering the developmental level of preschool children, and ‘Daily Safety Education’ to improve children’s ability to respond to household accidents will continue.

Additionally, ‘Disaster Safety Education’ to help understand and prepare for disasters like earthquakes, fires, and typhoons that are increasing due to climate change, ‘Traffic Safety Education’ to prevent school zone accidents, ‘Large Transportation Safety Education’ covering ships, airplanes, and railways, and ‘Emergency First Aid Safety Education’ teaching CPR and automated external defibrillator use will be offered free year-round.

Programs are available to individuals, institutions, and groups, and reservations can be made in advance on the center’s website.

Furthermore, for those unable to visit in person, the district provides online safety education, SNS event participation, and monthly safety puppet shows on the last Wednesday of each month.

Seo Gang-seok, Mayor of Songpa-gu, said, “With the recent rise in unpredictable safety accidents, the role of the Songpa Safety Experience Education Center has become even more important. We hope many people visit this excellent educational venue to see, feel, and learn the importance of safety culture, helping to make Songpa-gu a safe city and ultimately a happy Korea.”

Gangnam-gu Completely Revamps Healing Center Programs

Gangnam Healing Center, the Only One in the Autonomous District, Transitions from Consignment to Direct Operation Starting This Year

Launches 60 Specialized Healing Courses Covering Four Major Habit Improvement Projects: Exercise, Mind, Relationships, and Eating Habits

Gangnam-gu (Mayor Jo Seong-myeong) will switch the operation of the Gangnam Healing Center to direct management starting this year and open 60 regular courses from March.

The Gangnam Healing Center is the only urban healing space in the autonomous district designed for enjoying ‘healing’ without traveling far, operating in two locations: Samseong-dong COEX and Gaepo-dong. Since the COEX branch opened in 2020 and the Gaepo branch in 2021, about 100,000 users have visited. The COEX branch is popular among nearby office workers seeking a brief rest during lunch or after work, while the Gaepo branch (photo), surrounded by Gaepo Cultural Park and nearby mountains, is favored by local residents for its natural healing environment.

By switching from consignment to direct operation, the district has reduced personnel costs and cut the budget by 21%, improving the quality of courses. After running pilot courses in February and monitoring attendance and satisfaction, 60 regular courses were established.

The regular courses are designed around the concept of refining habits to find healing in daily life, organized into four major habit improvement projects: exercise habits, mind habits, relationship habits, and eating habits. ‘Exercise habits’ include yoga, Pilates, and SNPE (correct posture exercise) to correct improper body movements and restore health. ‘Mind habits’ offer psychological recovery courses such as singing bowl meditation, sound meditation, walking meditation, and breathing meditation to manage stress and depression. ‘Relationship habits’ provide writing, sketching, and art therapy courses to foster healthier relationships with family, friends, and neighbors. Lastly, the ‘eating habits’ program offers healing food courses to heal body and mind.

Residents wishing to enroll can apply online starting at 9 a.m. on the 23rd via the Gangnam Healing Center mobile app or the Gangnam-gu integrated reservation site, with on-site applications also accepted.

In addition to regular courses, the Healing Center plans special events such as ‘Healing Day’ lectures by invited experts in the first and second halves of the year and collaborative development of healing content with local meditation and yoga organizations.

Jo Seong-myeong, Mayor of Gangnam-gu, said, “Through operational improvements, the Gangnam Healing Center now offers more systematic and specialized healing programs. We will carefully oversee the construction of the new Sinsa-dong Healing Center, scheduled for completion in 2024, to ensure smooth progress.”

Jongno-gu Office New Building Bird's-eye View

Jongno-gu Resident Communication Contest Project

Applications Open on District Office Website Until March 13... Resident Briefing Session on February 28

Selected Groups Receive 1 to 3 Million KRW to Support Activities That Promote Resident Communication and Solve Local Issues Independently

Jongno-gu (Mayor Jeong Mun-heon) is conducting a ‘Resident Communication Contest Project’ to foster a happy community by encouraging residents to solve local problems themselves and build neighborly bonds.

The project is divided into initial and development stage projects based on content and purpose, with plans to coordinate with related departments and community centers to strengthen links with district administration.

The contest includes two types: ‘Neighbor Communication Project’ supporting initial-stage groups that promote resident communication and seek local problem solutions, and ‘Local Problem Solving Project’ for development-stage groups leading local issue resolution through creative ideas and resident cooperation.

Selected groups receive 1 million KRW per group for the Neighbor Communication Project and 2 to 3 million KRW per group for the Local Problem Solving Project. Funds must be used for promotional printing, purchasing supplies, food and refreshments, instructor fees, etc.

Eligible participants are groups or organizations of three or more people residing or working in Jongno-gu.

Applicants can receive preliminary consultation at the Autonomous Administration Division or the Resident Communication Center and apply via the district office website by 6 p.m. on March 13. The district will conduct document screening, interviews, revision consulting, and review by the Local Subsidy Management Committee before announcing final selections.

Selected groups will sign agreements, receive accounting training, and receive subsidies to carry out projects with ongoing monitoring and consulting until November. They will also participate in networking meetings to share activities and build relationships with other project participants. For more details, contact the Autonomous Administration Division’s Resident Community Support Team.

Meanwhile, on February 28 at 2 p.m., a resident briefing session will be held in the 12th-floor training room of the district office to comprehensively explain application methods and execution standards for this contest. Anyone interested can attend, and further inquiries can be made to the Autonomous Administration Division.

Mayor Jeong Mun-heon said, “We aim to actively support resident groups wishing to serve the community based on creative ideas and neighborly communication. We look forward to many applications so meaningful activities can be carried out in various fields such as culture, welfare, environment, education, and jobs.”

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