Seoul's Jungnang-gu is cementing its reputation as an education-focused district.
Since District Mayor Ryu Gyeong-gi took office in 2018 under the seventh round of local elections, sustained investment in education has produced tangible results — most notably a sharp rise in the share of students gaining admission to four-year universities in Seoul.
Ryu graduated from Seoul National University with a degree in political science and passed the national civil service exam before beginning his career at the Seoul Metropolitan Government. He went on to hold senior posts including spokesperson, head of the administrative bureau, head of the planning and coordination office, and first vice mayor for administration, before winning election as Jungnang-gu district mayor in 2018. He secured a third consecutive term under the ninth round of local elections in 2026.
Ryu's commitment to education is rooted in personal experience: during his time at Seoul National University, he was a long-standing member of a reading and debate club, where he came to appreciate firsthand the value of books.
Drawing on that background, he has made spreading a reading culture throughout the community a central priority since taking office.
The flagship initiative is the "Read 1,000 Books Before School" campaign, aimed at preschool-age children. The program, which encourages parents and children to read together, has gained wide support and spread across Jungnang-gu.
The reading culture push extends well beyond young children, reaching teenagers, young adults and district office employees alike. Ryu has held a series of reading discussion groups for staff and youth, promoting the joy of reading and the exchange of ideas.
The Bang Jeong-hwan Education Support Center, built by the district, has also become a cornerstone of Jungnang-gu's drive to establish itself as an education city.
The center runs a wide range of programs covering holistic education, career guidance, college preparation and academic support, providing tailored educational services to local students and parents.
As of July 2026, the center had logged about 270,000 cumulative visitors and held roughly 10,000 program sessions. Satisfaction surveys of participants and parents recorded an average approval rating of 92 percent.
Investment in the educational environment has also expanded sharply. Jungnang-gu's school education support budget grew more than fourfold — from about 3.8 billion won ($2.69 million) in 2018 to about 16 billion won in 2026.
Driven by that sustained investment, the district's four-year Seoul university enrollment rate rose 20 percentage points, from 24 percent in 2018 to 44 percent in 2025.
"There is no better investment than investment in education," Ryu said. "We will continue to provide diverse educational support so that students can map out their own dreams and career paths, and build Jungnang into a city that leads the way in education."
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