Seoul's Dongdaemun-gu announced Tuesday that it has received the 2026 Lifelong Learning City Certification from the Ministry of Education and the National Institute for Lifelong Education.
The certification allows Dongdaemun-gu to maintain its Lifelong Learning City status from 2026 through 2029. It marks the district's first recertification since its initial designation in 2020.
The evaluation covered 56 designated lifelong learning cities nationwide, assessing each across three areas — implementation framework, program operations and program outcomes — through 20 detailed indicators, using both written submissions and in-person reviews.
Dongdaemun-gu received strong marks for building a lifelong learning foundation that reflects residents' needs and for broadening educational access through a range of competitive grant projects. Evaluators particularly highlighted the district's work training community learning managers and other local facilitators, then connecting them to real activities in ways that generated economic value.
The district's approach to compensating for limited classroom space also drew notice. The Dongdaemun-gu Lifelong Learning Center has a total floor area of 395 square meters and only two classrooms, leaving it short on dedicated teaching space. To expand educational opportunities, the district has linked various local facilities for use as learning venues and actively pursued external grant projects to secure additional funding.
Building on the recertification, the district plans to diversify its lifelong learning programs to better suit local needs. It intends to expand research and development in lifelong education, gradually increase the related budget, and broaden access to lifelong learning for socially vulnerable residents.
"Lifelong education is more than a means of improving quality of life — it is a foundation of learning that everyone needs to keep pace with a rapidly changing society and technology," Dongdaemun-gu District Mayor Choi Dong-min said. "We will consistently expand lifelong learning opportunities and support so that every resident, regardless of age or circumstance, can learn and grow."
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