Gwangju City Accelerates Plans for Welfare Center for the Disabled, Aiming to Open in June Next Year

Gwangju City in Gyeonggi Province announced on September 17 that it will begin full-scale procedures with the goal of opening the Welfare Center for the Disabled in June 2026.

Welfare Center for the Disabled - Bird's-eye View. Provided by Gwangju City, Gyeonggi Province

Following the approval of the "Ordinance on the Establishment and Operation of the Gwangju City Welfare Center for the Disabled" and the "Agreement on Private Consignment of the Welfare Center for the Disabled" at the 319th temporary session of the Gwangju City Council held on September 15, the city will announce the recruitment of consignment organizations from September 17 to October 24.

Applications will be accepted for five days, from October 20 to 24. Eligible applicants are social welfare corporations or non-profit corporations with their main offices in Gyeonggi Province or Seoul. Detailed information can be found in the "Gwangju News - Announcements" section of the Gwangju City Hall website.

The Gwangju City Welfare Center for the Disabled will occupy a total area of 4,882 square meters and will be located on the 3rd and 4th floors of the Songjeong-dong former government building complex. Major facilities will include music, art, speech, exercise, psychological, play, and physical therapy rooms; group activity rooms; job experience and training rooms; lounges for people with hearing and speech disabilities; "Rest Maru" for elderly people with disabilities; and a library. Day-use facilities will also be operated.

After selecting the consignment organization, the city plans to establish a dedicated team within the year to systematically prepare for the opening, including securing specialized personnel, conducting needs assessments, planning programs, and building a community linkage system.

Mayor Bang Sehwan stated, "We will do our utmost to ensure that the Welfare Center for the Disabled becomes a strong partner supporting the lives of people with disabilities and their families, going beyond the role of a simple welfare facility."

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