Seo-gu, Gwangju Wins Two Awards at Resident Autonomy Best Practices Contest

The Only Local Government in the Nation to Win in Two Categories
Secures 150 Million Won in Special Grants

On November 20, Seo-gu, Gwangju received the Minister of the Interior and Safety Award in both the Resident Autonomy category for the Pungam-dong BI Project and the Institutional Policy category for the Hub-Linked Dong Cooperation System at the Resident Autonomy Best Practices Contest held at the Ulsan Exhibition and Convention Center.

According to Seo-gu, this achievement recognized the district's success in realizing community-centered autonomous administration, making it the only basic local government in the country to win awards in two categories. Seo-gu also secured a total of 150 million won in special grants.

On the 20th, Seo-gu, Gwangju received the Minister of the Interior and Safety Award in two categories at the Resident Autonomy Best Practice Contest held at the Ulsan Exhibition and Convention Center: the Pungam-dong BI Project (Resident Autonomy category) and the Hub-Linked Dong Cooperation System (Institutional Policy category). Provided by Seo-gu, Gwangju

This contest was jointly organized by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety and the Citizens' Coalition for an Open Society to commemorate the 30th anniversary of local autonomy. The event aimed to discover and spread best practices in resident autonomy.

After a rigorous process that included document reviews, interviews, and on-site presentations, ten best practices were selected. Seo-gu was the only basic local government to receive awards in both categories.

Seo-gu established a comprehensive resident participation platform centered on the community, based on the unique village BI (Brand Identity) of Pungam-dong. This included 25 hobby clubs and the BI Members program, which is open to all residents. The district was highly praised for moving beyond space-based resident autonomy to a structure where resident participation is integrated into everyday life.

Seo-gu was the first in the nation to establish a Department of Living Government and build a Hub-Linked Dong Cooperation System, reorganizing the functions of local administrative offices. This policy innovation was recognized for strengthening the foundation of practical grassroots autonomy by providing customized services for residents, addressing administrative imbalances, and improving administrative efficiency. As a result, Seo-gu was selected as the only recipient in the Institutional Policy category among basic local governments nationwide.

Seo-gu Mayor Kim Ikang stated, "Being selected as a best practice in both the Resident Autonomy and Institutional Policy categories is the result of Seo-gu's innovative autonomy model and the active participation of our residents. Moving forward, we will continue to realize practical grassroots autonomy through the 'Living Government by Your Side' model, ensuring administrative services that residents can truly feel in their daily lives."

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