Yuseonghun, Geumcheon-gu Mayor, "Creating a Sustainable 'Healthy City' Caring for Residents and Earth Health"

"The health of district residents is the driving force of the city. I will create a healthy Geumcheon where my life, my neighbors' lives, and ultimately the nation's future competitiveness are secured."

Yoo Seong-hoon, Mayor of Geumcheon District, expressed his determination to accelerate the creation of a healthy city.

According to Statistics Korea, the life expectancy of Koreans reached 83.6 years in 2021, maintaining an upward trend for 51 years. As average life expectancy increases, the importance of "healthy life expectancy" is also emphasized. Healthy life expectancy refers to the period during which one lives without significant physical or mental abnormalities and is the most important indicator showing the qualitative aspect of health. Mayor Yoo stated, "As we prepare to enter a super-aged society, it is time to focus on reducing the gap between life expectancy and healthy life expectancy." He added, "With the enforcement of Article 6-5 (Creation of Healthy Cities, etc.) of the newly established Health Promotion Act from December 22 this year, Geumcheon District plans to further devote itself to creating a healthy city."

Since forming a dedicated team for promoting a healthy city in 2011, Geumcheon District has strengthened domestic and international networks by joining the Korea Healthy Cities Partnership (KHCP) and the WHO Western Pacific Healthy Cities Federation (AFHC). Additionally, by enacting the "Geumcheon District Healthy City Basic Ordinance," the district laid a legal foundation for policy formulation and project implementation, establishing a cornerstone toward becoming a healthy city.

So far, Geumcheon District has implemented a visiting village health promotion project by placing village nurses at community service centers to provide regular health checks, consultations, and connections to healthcare services. During the COVID-19 pandemic, non-face-to-face programs were operated to enhance residents' self-management abilities and provide uninterrupted health management services.

In particular, since 2019, Geumcheon has operated the "Geumcheon-type Healthy Promotion School," a pioneering model of an integrated system for preventing childhood and adolescent obesity, targeting elementary schools in the area. Programs such as walking on the schoolyard on the way to school, providing healthy snacks, body composition tests for each student, and morning health classes with community health leaders are conducted to naturally promote physical activity and dietary improvements during school life, supporting children's obesity prevention and healthy growth. Starting this year, special physical education for children and adolescents with disabilities and water play experience activities for second-grade elementary students will also be newly launched.

Last year, three elementary schools in the district participated in the Geumcheon-type Healthy Promotion School, and from this year, the program will expand to six schools, with Mayor Yoo aiming to introduce it to all elementary schools in the district by next year. Mayor Yoo said, "We will prepare various health programs so that all Geumcheon residents, from children to adults, can live more vibrant lives."

Geumcheon District is also making efforts to promote walking exercises in daily life. The Happy Walking Geumcheon Family Health Walk, a representative walking program of Geumcheon District since 2011, attracts over 500 residents monthly who enjoy healing time for body and mind amidst the beautiful nature along the Anyangcheon Stream.

Additionally, walking challenges open to anyone who wants to walk and become healthier are conducted through the mobile app WalkOn, and physical activity health leaders who will serve as health guardians for residents are being trained.

Meanwhile, as climate change and environmental issues emerge as factors pressuring the future health of cities, Geumcheon District is taking the lead in creating a healthy environment as part of its healthy city initiative. A dedicated TF team for climate change response has been formed, and the "Geumcheon District Climate Change Response 2030 Comprehensive Plan" has been established and implemented, achieving greenhouse gas reduction targets exceeding annual goals.

Since April, the district has been conducting the "JupGO, JuligoGO, JeulgeobGO Geumcheon!" plogging campaign with volunteers to preserve the ecological environment and spread a culture of volunteering. Furthermore, centered around the Geumcheon Eco Center, various climate and environmental education programs certified by the Ministry of Environment are operated. Efforts are also made to establish a carbon-neutral practice culture among residents through home food waste composting projects, discovering and fostering zero-waste stores, and supporting the production of shopping bags using discarded banners. Mayor Yoo stated, "As global warming accelerates, the world is adopting low-carbon policies. Among them, bicycles, as green transportation, are a key focus." He added, "The most important conditions for promoting bicycle use are building convenient bicycle infrastructure, ensuring safety, and various community activities linked to daily life." He further mentioned, "We are also considering applying Copenhagen’s carbon-neutral city strategy, which is progressing as a long-term master plan, to Geumcheon."

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