Seongbuk-gu Hosts '2026 Seongbuk Welfare and Volunteer Festival' Under the Theme 'A Warm Seongbuk Together, A Shining Us Through Sharing'
70 Social Welfare Honorees Recognized, Healing Concert Rounds Out a Day of Public-Private Unity and Renewal
Seongbuk-gu in Seoul held its "2026 Seongbuk Welfare and Volunteer Festival" on Tuesday to mark the 27th Social Welfare Day. The event drew about 500 participants — social welfare workers, sponsors, community welfare committee members and local residents — to Jeonseungwon, a Jingak Order of Korean Buddhism training hall.
Held under the theme "A Warm Seongbuk Together, A Shining Us Through Sharing," the event was organized to honor and thank the workers and volunteers who have devoted themselves to welfare services on the ground. The program was split into two parts: a commemorative ceremony and awards presentation, followed by a healing concert.
The first part opened with new social welfare civil servants and incoming welfare center staff reading a pledge on social welfare ethics, followed by the awards presentation. Danbit Dungji, a facility supporting single-parent families, received a citation from the Ministry of Health and Welfare. Separately, 70 individuals recognized for their contributions to social welfare received citations from the district mayor.
The Seoul Association of Social Welfare Centers separately honored Seongbuk-gu District Mayor Lee Seung-ro with the Welfare Administration Award. The award recognized his field-oriented welfare administration and efforts to improve conditions for welfare workers.
The second part, the healing concert, featured congratulatory performances by district employees along with a b-boy performance and college student acts, offering attendees a chance to unwind and recharge.
In addition, local institutions and organizations — including Woori Bank's Seongbuk-gu Office branch and Pulmuone Healthcare's Seongbuk Home franchise — donated supplies. Seongbuk Sungsim Hospital also provided medical support, adding to the warmth of the gathering.
Seongbuk-gu has continued to pursue concrete policies to improve conditions and boost morale among frontline welfare workers. These include running the Seongbuk Welfare Academy, offering capacity-building training for workers, presenting long-service awards and signing a medical support agreement with Seoul Cheok Hospital. The district has also introduced birthday allowances and provided heat-wave prevention supplies.
"The dedication of the welfare workers and volunteers who are always there for our neighbors in need is the strongest pillar of Seongbuk-gu's welfare system," Lee said. "We will continue to build a warm and tightly knit welfare community that every resident can feel, through communication-driven administration that seeks answers on the ground."
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