24-hour emergency operations center activated ... expanded emergency medical care and enhanced safety inspections at vulnerable facilities
Jung-gu Love Gift Certificates issued, essential goods prices monitored ... parking convenience also provided
Seoul's Jung-gu district will roll out a comprehensive chuseok plan covering public welfare, safety and daily life services to help residents enjoy a comfortable holiday.
This year, the district has strengthened its emergency medical system and safety net for high-traffic facilities while also improving convenience for holiday shopping.
To prevent gaps in medical care during the holiday, the district will operate an emergency medical situation room at the public health center alongside a standby medical system. The National Medical Center's emergency room will run around the clock, and the number of "public night and holiday health guardian" clinics has been expanded to two — Seoul Family Medical Clinic and JH Jeil Medical Clinic. A newly designated late-night children's hospital, 365 On Family Medical Clinic, will accept patients until 11 p.m., significantly easing the burden on parents seeking late-night pediatric care.
The district's disaster and safety management network has also been reinforced. Ten hostels in the Myeong-dong and Euljiro areas with fire risk have been added to the inspection list, and safety checks for performance venues have been extended to small-scale venues to proactively eliminate hazards. A total of 180 high-traffic facilities, including goshiwon (small-unit rental accommodations) and traditional markets, will be thoroughly inspected, and 511 flood-vulnerable sites have already been overhauled in preparation for sudden heavy downpours.
Measures to boost small-business sales and ease the cost burden on residents are also in place. Starting Sept. 16 at 4 p.m., the district will begin selling 2 billion won ($1.49 million) worth of "Jung-gu Love Gift Certificates," which offer a 5 percent discount and 2 percent cashback. On Monday at 10 a.m., it will follow up with 400 million won in "Jung-gu Ddaenggyeoyo Gift Certificates" offering a 15 percent discount and 5 percent cashback. Price trends for 19 essential goods will also be posted on the district's website to help residents shop wisely.
Eight areas near traditional markets — including Jungbu Market, Sungnyemun Shopping Center, Samik Fashion Town, Jayu Shopping Center, Namdaemunno Underground Shopping Center, Hoehyeon Underground Shopping Center, Myeong-dong Station Underground Shopping Center and Myeong-dong Underground Shopping Center — will be designated as unrestricted parking zones to make holiday shopping more convenient.
Waste management, a common concern among residents during the holiday, will also be addressed. Garbage disposal will be restricted for two days, Sept. 25 and 26, the chuseok holiday itself, with collection resuming from 7 p.m. on Sept. 27. The district will also deploy a dedicated sanitation operations center and mobile response units to quickly clear any abandoned waste.
Support for vulnerable residents will not be overlooked. Holiday allowances will be distributed to 4,114 low-income households, and residents of single-room lodging houses will receive holiday food and ancestral rite provisions. The safety of 875 elderly people living alone will be checked through phone calls and Internet of Things devices, and alternative food packages will be distributed in advance to children enrolled in meal-support programs to prevent them from going hungry during the holiday.
Additional measures include inspections of the origin labeling of holiday food products, a special crackdown on taxi drivers who refuse passengers, and maintenance of trails and park facilities along the Namsan foothills. A 24-hour comprehensive operations center will run from Sept. 23 through Sept. 28 to respond immediately to emergencies and minimize inconvenience for residents.
Jung-gu District Mayor Kim Gil-sung said the district would "preemptively address even minor inconveniences in daily life by completely eliminating any administrative gaps that could arise during the holiday," adding that he would "create a safe and abundant chuseok where all residents can rest easy."
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