Gwanak-gu, led by District Mayor Park Jun-hee, has drawn up a campaign pledge implementation plan comprising six strategic areas and 58 policy tasks to guide the district's administration over the next four years.
The district launched a policy planning committee on June 15 and completed its final review Friday, producing a blueprint to realize the goal of "Gwanak's Great Leap Forward — Completing a Greater Gwanak." The total budget required stands at 1.49 trillion won ($986 million), with the "sustainable and safe healing garden city" category accounting for 77.5 percent of the total.
Kim Beom-su, co-chair of the policy planning committee, said the group had spent the past month deliberating on the direction of the 9th elected-term administration, drawing on expertise and experience across a wide range of fields. "The valuable suggestions and warm interest shown by committee members will be a great source of strength as Gwanak-gu continues to move in a better direction," he said.
Under the "economy of innovation and mutual growth" pillar, the district aims to advance the Gwanak S-Valley 3.0 project to attract more than 1,000 venture and startup companies and establish the area as South Korea's premier hub for venture entrepreneurship, with more than 10,000 professionals active in the district.
The plan also calls for revitalizing traditional markets and alley economies — including events to boost commercial activity linked to Gwanaksan — along with upgrading public employment programs to further strengthen the foundation for local economic growth.
Reflecting the district's high proportion of single-person households, at 63.9 percent, the plan places particular emphasis on building a city suited to solo residents. It also expands spatial welfare for senior citizens through the construction of a comprehensive senior welfare complex and the introduction of smart senior centers. Tailored, lifecycle-based welfare policies — covering mobility rights for the transportation-disadvantaged, intercultural city development, and child-friendly city upgrades — will be broadened to create an inclusive society where everyone can find happiness.
The district will also push forward its "Youth Capital of South Korea" agenda, reflecting Gwanak's status as the district with the highest proportion of young residents in the country at 41.7 percent.
Key initiatives include establishing youth as active agents rather than passive recipients of policy, guaranteeing basic employment rights for young people, strengthening residential welfare, and supporting socially isolated youth toward self-reliance — all aimed at stabilizing young residents' lives and investing in their futures.
The plan further calls for deepening cooperation with Seoul National University, expanding support for improved educational environments, nurturing a lifelong learning city, activating youth programs, and elevating the Gang Gam-chan city brand — all to build what the district describes as the finest education and culture offering in the country.
Through the creation of a natural recreation forest on Gwanaksan and a sky forest trail project, the district plans to transform the mountain into a signature healing destination blending ecology and culture. Alongside this, the district will expand recreational sports facilities, accelerate redevelopment and reconstruction projects, increase public parking and promote shared mobility, and build out a wider metropolitan rail network — all in pursuit of a sustainable and safe healing garden city.
Finally, under the "wide-open AI innovation district hall" pillar, the district will integrate AI across its administration to build a smart city, pursue collaborative governance through direct communication with residents, and strengthen grassroots self-governance — positioning Gwanak-gu as a leader in innovative administration for the era of digital transformation.
District Mayor Park said the policy planning committee's expertise and diverse on-the-ground input had allowed the district to develop a more substantive campaign pledge implementation plan. "Under the goal of 'Gwanak's Great Leap Forward — Completing a Greater Gwanak,' we will complete an innovative economic city, a youth-friendly city, and a healing garden city, and we will do our utmost to ensure Gwanak's uninterrupted development," he said.
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