Gwangmyeong City to Shape Social Solidarity Economy Innovation Center "Maju" Together with Citizens

Workshop on Operational Plans to Be Held at City Hall Main Conference Room on June 9

Recruiting 100 Participants on a First-Come, First-Served Basis, Including Citizens, Businesses, and Prospective Entrepreneurs

Applications Open from May 18 to June 2

Gwangmyeong City in Gyeonggi Province is designing the operational direction of the Social Solidarity Economy Innovation Center "Maju," scheduled to open in September, together with its citizens.

Gwangmyeong City is designing the operational direction of the Social Solidarity Economy Innovation Center 'Maju,' scheduled to open in September, together with its citizens. Photo by Gwangmyeong City

The city will hold a workshop titled "2026 Social Solidarity Economy Innovation Center Operational Plan Exploration" at 2 p.m. on June 9 in the main conference room of City Hall.

This workshop is an opportunity for citizens, businesses, and prospective entrepreneurs to discuss together how to utilize the space and the main programs before the opening of the Maju Center. The city will recruit 100 participants on a first-come, first-served basis and reflect diverse opinions from the field in its operational plans.

The Maju Center is being established by remodeling the building at 305-5 Haan-dong, creating a social solidarity economy complex hub with a total floor area of approximately 1,073 square meters. It is designed as a space where citizens, businesses, and organizations can meet and collaborate, with the goal of enhancing the self-reliance and sustainability of social economy enterprises.

The center will have four floors above ground and a rooftop. The first floor will house a bakery cafe, the second floor will feature a pop-up store and exhibition space, the third floor will serve as a space for exchanging ideas and project collaboration, and the fourth floor will be used for cultural and event programs. The rooftop will be created as a relaxation space with solar power facilities and an urban garden.

Part one of the workshop will share details on the Ministry of the Interior and Safety's "2026 Social Solidarity Economy Innovation Model Discovery and Diffusion Project" selection, as well as the Maju Center's symbolic system, spatial composition, and operational plans.

Part two will involve group discussions on topics such as the pop-up store, social living lab, networking day, and member operations. The results of these discussions will be presented to all participants and will be reflected in the future operational plans of the Maju Center.

Participation is open to citizens, businesses, and prospective entrepreneurs. Applications can be submitted from May 18 to June 2 through the Gwangmyeong City website or via the QR code provided in the information leaflet.

Choi Hyemin, Acting Mayor (Vice Mayor) of Gwangmyeong City, stated, "The Maju Center is a space where the main actors of the social solidarity economy can meet, collaborate, and create new local value. From the preparation stage ahead of the opening, we will carefully incorporate the opinions of citizens and businesses so that the center can become a hub for Gwangmyeong-style social solidarity economy innovation."

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