Isuhee Lee, Gangdong District Mayor, "Establishing Brand Value to Make Living in Gangdong a Source of Pride"

Published 08 Jan.2024 07:12(KST)

The Next 3 Years: A Crucial Period Shaping Gangdong's Future for 30 Years... Leap to Become the 'Eastern Metropolitan Area Hub'... Goal for 2024: Making Gangdong-gu a Brand Itself... "Boosting Residents' Pride"

Lee Su-hee, Mayor of Gangdong District

Lee Su-hee, Mayor of Gangdong-gu, Seoul, stated in the 2024 New Year's address that “the next three years are a very important period that will determine the future 30 years of Gangdong” and announced plans to “make 2024 a year of leap forward as the center of the eastern metropolitan area.”

Gangdong-gu is expected to have a population exceeding 550,000 after 2025 due to large-scale reconstruction, redevelopment, and the establishment of business complexes. Along with a high influx rate of people in their 30s and 40s, it has shown high growth potential, ranking first in Seoul’s total fertility rate for two consecutive years.

In response, Mayor Lee emphasized, “Preparing for transportation demand due to population growth is not optional but essential, and the development of Gangdong-gu lies in transportation,” expressing his determination to promote projects to become a transportation hub. In fact, he has met the Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport five times to propose attracting the GTX-D line and is making every effort to achieve revolutionary improvements in transportation, such as direct connection of Subway Line 5 and extension (increase) of bus routes.

He also shared his vision to “properly establish the value of the Han River embraced by Gangdong by making good use of its natural environment and raise the recognition of Gangdong-gu.” The plan is to develop the Han River waterfront of Amsa and Godeok Ecological Parks, which had been preserved in their natural state due to various regulations, into eco-friendly healing spaces for residents and representative attractions of Seoul.

Furthermore, he reaffirmed his commitment to the “rebirth as a vibrant commercial and residential city.” The original downtown areas along Cheonho-daero and Yangjae-daero are transforming into centers where business, commerce, and residence harmonize. With five of the most subway station area revitalization projects in Seoul and 17 reconstruction projects led by Dunchon Jugong Apartments underway, Mayor Lee stated, “We will strive to improve the residential environment and ensure the supply of quality housing.”

Mayor Lee Su-hee declared that in 2024, “the goal is for Gangdong-gu itself to become a brand,” and said, “We will complete the Gangdong Grand Design for urban development from a long-term perspective rather than ad hoc development, so that living in Gangdong itself can be a source of pride.”

Full Text of the 2024 New Year's Address

To the 460,000 residents of Gangdong-gu, greetings!

The new year of Gapjin 2024 has dawned.

With an attitude of returning to our original intention,

I first extend my gratitude to all residents.

Happy New Year.

Respected residents of Gangdong-gu!

The next three years are a very important period that will determine the future 30 years.

With the move-in of large-scale apartment complexes,

Gangdong-gu will become a huge autonomous district with a population exceeding 500,000.

Meanwhile, the populations of neighboring Guri, Namyangju, and Hanam in Gyeonggi-do are also predicted to reach 1.6 million in 10 years.

Situated at the eastern edge of Seoul, neighboring Gangnam,

and facing Gyeonggi-do’s Hanam, Guri, and Namyangju, where large-scale new town developments are planned,

this situation creates both opportunities and crises for Gangdong-gu.

Also, according to the ,

our district is still somewhat outside the key areas.

With a vague vision, Gangdong-gu may remain only a passage connecting eastern Gyeonggi-do and Seoul’s Gangnam.

Therefore, it is time to prepare for the future with a sense of crisis.

The development of Gangdong-gu lies in transportation.

Transportation is livelihood and welfare.

Through expansion of transportation infrastructure,

we will do our best to help our residents escape the commuting war.

Subway Lines 5, 8, and 9 run through our district.

If these subway lines are extended to Hanam, Guri, and Namyangju,

it is clear that our residents will suffer transportation inconveniences similar to the current Gimpo Gold Line.

Therefore, we must attract a metropolitan railway network like GTX-D to disperse the transportation demand in our district.

I have knocked and knocked again to solve this issue.

Last November, I met the Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport for the fifth time,

and requested once again that GTX-D pass through Gangdong-gu.

I received a positive response from the Minister.

We will ensure that the plan for GTX-D passing through Gangdong-gu is included in the 2025 <5th National Railway Network Construction Plan>.

I believe the residents will support this as well.

We will also carefully oversee the projects for Subway Lines 5, 8, and 9.

The long-awaited Subway Line 9 Phase 4 project is progressing normally with the goal of opening in 2028.

Feasibility re-examination for the direct connection of Line 5 has also become possible.

We will prepare for the opening of Amsa and Sangwangsimni Stations on Line 8 by June this year.

The escalator installation project at Exit 2 of Gildong Station has been allocated a budget of 3 billion KRW for construction.

I would like to thank Mayor Oh Se-hoon for personally inspecting the site and striving to improve residents’ inconveniences.

It will take time for the attraction of GTX-D and subway projects to directly resolve transportation issues affecting residents’ livelihoods.

Therefore, we are actively promoting bus route extensions and increases as well.

Last year, the increase of buses on routes 3318 and 342 improved access to Gangnam and reduced intervals.

The Gangdong 01 village bus has started extended operation to the Biz Valley Knowledge Industry Center.

However, this is still insufficient.

Additionally, to expand bus routes linked to the subway,

we are also working to secure bus parking and depot sites.

We will promptly implement related policies to ensure smooth transfers.

And Godeok Bridge is the answer.

We will do our utmost to name Godeok Bridge, along with Godeok Biz Valley, as the 33rd bridge over the Han River, making it a landmark of Gangdong-gu’s new town.

By utilizing the various spaces provided by the natural environment,

we will raise the recognition of Gangdong-gu.

The Amsa-dong ruins and Han River waterfront, separated by Olympic-daero,

will be connected by the Amsa Green Path, scheduled for completion this year.

Since we revived a project that residents had given up on,

we will carefully oversee its completion.

The Amsa Historical Park, also a pledge of Mayor Oh, has completed 85% of land compensation this year.

We will closely cooperate with Seoul City to complete it by 2026.

The first Hanok Village in the Gangnam area will be built in Amsa-dong.

Given its prehistoric site, green spaces of Amsa Historical Park,

and excellent accessibility via Olympic-daero,

we will oversee the site development and design to make it a representative Hanok Village of Seoul.

Godeokcheon Stream has been selected as a Seoul City waterfront vitality hub.

It will not be just a simple walking path,

but an oasis of culture and rest in Gangdong-gu.

The Han River is both a challenge and hope for Gangdong-gu.

Due to its geographical location upstream of the Han River,

our district is subject to various regulations such as water source protection zones.

Development so far has only extended to Jamsil, excluding Gangdong.

Now is the time to properly establish the value of the Han River embraced by Gangdong.

It is time to transform into a splendid waterfront city.

A skywalk that feels like walking over the Han River,

Godeok Bridge with night lighting,

the waterfront ambiance of Godeokcheon Stream, Mangwolcheon Stream maintenance,

and the Amsa-dong ruins and Amsa Historical Park connected by the Amsa Green Path,

will be made into representative attractions of not only Gangdong but also Seoul,

and I hope Gangdong-gu can be the finishing point of the .

Gangdong is rising as the economic center of the eastern metropolitan area.

Godeok Biz Valley, which is changing the economic map of our district,

will establish the grandeur of a large-scale business complex this year.

Nine companies moved in by last year,

and when most companies move in this year,

it is expected to generate an economic effect of 9 trillion KRW and create about 38,000 jobs.

Next to Sangil IC,

the Gangdong General Industrial Complex is also accelerating development.

Land compensation is currently in the final stages.

From next year, we plan to start land sales targeting leading companies with the goal of completion in 2026.

We will ensure that everyone can enjoy welfare services.

In line with the reputation of ranking first in Seoul’s total fertility rate for two consecutive years,

we will create a child-friendly Gangdong with differentiated policies.

We will expand part-time childcare facilities and 365 open daycare centers,

and improve the ratio of teachers to infants in 0- and 1-year-old classes to enhance childcare quality.

Through educational care support for lower-grade elementary students,

we will provide quality programs that parents can trust,

and also offer Seoul-style kids cafes to provide care services without blind spots.

Children and youth are a blessing just by their existence.

Following the opening of the Dunchon Youth Culture House last year,

a shelter for abused boys will open in the first half of this year,

and the Gangdong Youth Counseling Welfare Center and Youth Support Center will move to larger facilities,

providing opportunities for youth to prepare for their futures independently.

We will make Gangdong a place that cares well for the elderly.

This year, we will build and remodel senior centers to increase spaces for communication and harmony.

The Dementia Family Support Center, which won a government award for dementia prevention management last year, and the home care service for seniors will be operated solidly,

becoming a reliable companion protecting the daily lives of dementia patients and their families.

We will also create jobs that meet the needs of not only seniors who need to earn a living but also the asset-owning baby boomer generation,

ensuring healthy and happy old age for seniors.

We will do our best to improve the quality of life for 20,000 people with disabilities.

The district-run Comprehensive Welfare Center for the Disabled will open this year.

It will be a space where both disabled and non-disabled people can mingle.

We will provide diverse cultural and artistic experiences to residents.

At the Gangdong Arts Center, where we are together with residents,

high-quality performances befitting its name, such as concerts by Beethoven specialists like Igor Levit, have begun to attract the attention of residents and art lovers.

In the first half of this year, quality performances such as the play featuring renowned actors Shin Goo, Park Geun-hyung, and Park Jung-ja, Universal Ballet’s , and pianist Baek Gun-woo’s recital are prepared.

When people gather at the Gangdong Arts Center to enjoy good performances and exhibitions, the recognition of Gangdong-gu rises,

and commercial districts can be revitalized.

We will strive for solid management so that the Gangdong Arts Center can serve as an anchor facility attracting people.

On Cheonho Rodeo Street, we will continuously promote various cultural content projects such as back alley landscape improvements and youth festivals,

making it a street where young people visit.

We also plan to carry out leveling work.

The Gangil-dong 2nd Community Sports Center and the swimming pool in the Cheonho-dong Redevelopment Promotion District are scheduled for completion this year.

Two key libraries are also under construction.

The Gangdong Forest Library in Myeongil Neighborhood Park aims for completion this year,

and the tentatively named Gangdong Central Library in the Dunchon Jugong reconstruction complex is adjusting its opening schedule due to financial conditions.

Protecting residents’ lives and safety is the foundation of district administration.

We will operate a 24-hour disaster safety situation room without gaps,

and build the connecting related organizations such as Seoul City, police, and fire departments,

to respond swiftly to disasters and safety accidents.

We will establish a dense flood safety network by maintaining sewer pipes at seven locations including Cheonho-dong, Amsa-dong, Pungseong-ro, and Yangjae-daero.

We will distribute the first-ever developed integrated flood barrier windows free of charge to flood-prone households,

working to prevent damage to residents in low-lying houses.

Above all, we will prioritize children’s safety.

Last year, we invested 4.7 billion KRW to renovate 10 child protection zones and expand 114 traffic safety facilities,

earning the from the Ministry of the Interior and Safety.

We will do our best to create safe school routes this year as well.

The underground parking lot at Dongmyeong Neighborhood Park, which parents were concerned about,

passed related reviews last October for changing the entrance to the northern Arisu waterway.

A safer foundation for school commuting has been established.

Construction of the parking lot is expected to begin in the first half of this year.

Recently, residents’ anxiety has increased due to abnormal crimes.

In the second half of last year, we secured about 2.2 billion KRW in external funds to expand CCTV.

Additionally, by expanding the safe return home project,

we will make greater efforts to protect the daily safety of not only women but also the elderly and vulnerable.

Commercial districts must recover.

The original downtown areas along Cheonho-daero and Yangjae-daero are on the verge of rebirth as centers where business, commerce, and residence harmonize.

We are steadily overseeing the completion of redevelopment projects in Seongnae 3 and 5 districts and Cheonho 1 district,

and the completion of the Cheonho 3-dong complex office building.

The compact city creation through five subway station area revitalization projects, which involve high-density development near stations, is also progressing in earnest.

We will create various necessary facilities in donated spaces.

We will also promptly promote housing maintenance projects.

Seventeen reconstruction projects led by Dunchon Jugong Apartments, redevelopment projects in the Cheonho district unit plan area,

and selection of Moa Town target sites in Cheonho and Dunchon for low-rise residential area maintenance,

will improve the residential environment and ensure the continuous supply of quality housing through large and small apartment construction projects.

The Gangdong Advanced Complex Office Building in Myeongil 1-dong next to Myeongil Market will begin construction this year.

Along with this, construction of an underground public parking lot will also start to alleviate parking difficulties.

Do you know Gokang 3 District? It is adjacent to Misa.

Last November, SH decided to maintain Block 12 of Gokang 3 District as private housing land.

We thank Mayor Oh Se-hoon, SH, and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport for listening to residents’ opinions.

The goal is for Gangdong-gu itself to become a brand.

We are putting effort into establishing the Grand Design, which will be the blueprint for Gangdong-gu’s mid- to long-term plans.

We will make the Grand Design a solid plan with many alternatives so that Gangdong-gu can become the center of the eastern area in Seoul’s future urban plans.

Dear respected and beloved residents!

So that living in Gangdong itself becomes a source of pride,

I and the 1,600 public officials will do our best to create a proud Gangdong.

To continue the changes in Gangdong,

I ask residents to add your strength, support, and wisdom.

May you all be healthy and have all your wishes come true in the year of the Blue Dragon.