Yongsan-gu to Operate Itaewon Elementary School Swimming Pool... Opening in September Next Year

"Expectations for Resolving Regional Public Sports Facility Imbalances"

Yongsan-gu, Seoul (Mayor Park Hee-young) will operate the swimming pool at Itaewon Elementary School through the Facilities Management Corporation to expand the insufficient local sports infrastructure. Accordingly, the Itaewon Elementary School swimming pool will become the first public swimming pool in the eastern part of Yongsan by September next year, and the facilities will be improved so that residents and students can exercise in a more comfortable environment.

'Joint Business Agreement Ceremony on the Operation of Itaewon Elementary School Complex Facility by Yongsan District Office' held at Yongsan District Office. From the left: Gang Sam-gu, Superintendent of Seoul Metropolitan Jungbu Office of Education; Jang Jin-hye, Principal of Seoul Itaewon Elementary School; Park Hee-young, Mayor of Yongsan District. Provided by Yongsan District.

On the 23rd, Yongsan-gu announced that on the 18th, it signed a “Joint Business Agreement on the Operation of Itaewon Elementary School Complex Facility (Education and Culture Center) by the District Office” with the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education Central District (Superintendent Kang Sam-gu) and Seoul Itaewon Elementary School (Principal Jang Jin-hye) at the mayor’s office.

The agreement includes cooperation details among institutions regarding the district office’s operation of Itaewon Elementary School’s swimming pool (6 lanes), parking lot, and other ancillary facilities. According to the agreement, the district office plans to improve the Itaewon Elementary School Education and Culture Center facilities in the first half of next year. Together with the Central District Office of Education, they will repair aging facilities and partially replace mechanical equipment. A new indoor exercise equipment room will also be created.

The operation of the swimming pool and ancillary facilities will be handled by the district’s Facilities Management Corporation. In the first half of next year, the district office will conclude a consignment contract and secure operational personnel after consultations on the appropriateness of the corporation’s agency project.

The Itaewon Elementary School Education and Culture Center was established in 2007 and has a total floor area of 3,466㎡ from the second basement floor to the first floor above ground. In the future, the district office will operate the basement 2 parking lot and basement 1 swimming pool, while the school will continue to operate the first-floor gymnasium as before.

This project is one of the 21 tasks under the “Mid- to Long-term Development Plan for Expanding Sports Facilities,” a core pledge of the district’s 8th mayoral term. The district plans to increase the number of public sports facilities from the current 31 to 45 by 2035, adding 14 more locations.

By region, the plan includes ▲ East side [Hannam Living Area (4.29 million㎡)] with 2 multipurpose gymnasiums (comprehensive sports facilities), ▲ West side [Cheongpa·Wonhyo Living Area (2.93 million㎡)] with 3 facilities including an outdoor futsal field, children (youth) sports center, and indoor tennis court, ▲ South side [Ichon·Hangang Living Area (9.78 million㎡)] with 7 facilities including an indoor futsal field and multipurpose gymnasium, and ▲ North side [Huam·Yongsan Living Area (4.87 million㎡)] with 2 multipurpose gymnasiums.

Among the 14 locations, 9 are donation facilities. Linked with various local development projects such as the Hannam Redevelopment Promotion District (Hannam 2·5 Redevelopment Promotion District), Yongsan Railroad Site Special Planning District, Ichon 1 Special Planning District, and Munbae District Special Planning District, the district eased regulations such as floor area ratio and required developers to install sports facilities.

Mayor Park Hee-young said, “Public sports facilities will help resolve regional imbalances,” adding, “We will secure multiple sports facilities through various development projects and create conditions where all residents can exercise nearby.”

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