Submissions open Tuesday through Nov. 23, covering ecology, renewable energy and AI; six winners to share 1.4 million won purse, with top ideas considered for actual policy
Seodaemun-gu is holding its first ideas contest to let residents shape the future of Hongjecheon stream through their own imagination.
The initiative goes beyond routine waterway maintenance or environmental cleanup, aiming to weave together ecological restoration, renewable energy and AI technology to transform Hongjecheon into a space where nature, technology and everyday community life coexist.
Seodaemun-gu announced it will co-host the first Hongjecheon Sangsang Deohagi ideas contest with the Hongjecheon Ecological Stream Management Governance body, accepting resident submissions from Tuesday through Nov. 23.
The contest was proposed by the Hongjecheon Ecological Stream Management Governance body, which launched Oct. 8. The goal is to add public participation to the existing partnership between the district and environmental groups, raising the stream's ecological value and exploring new ways to use it.
The contest covers four categories: ecology and environment, energy, AI and smart technology, and appeal.
The ecology and environment category focuses on creating habitats for aquatic plants and fish, reducing stream pollution and litter, and developing resident-led ecological observation and environmental education programs.
The energy category invites proposals for operating stream facilities and experiential programs using renewable energy sources such as solar, wind and hydropower. The AI and smart technology category covers AI- and data-driven water quality management, analysis of wildlife observation records, facility inspections, and improvements to visitor information services.
The appeal category seeks ideas to make Hongjecheon a destination residents will want to visit — including plans for rest and cultural spaces that blend with the natural surroundings, improvements to nighttime lighting and scenery, and aesthetic upgrades to the space beneath the Inner Circular Expressway.
Cross-category proposals are also welcome. The district said it hopes to receive creative ideas that break from conventional stream management, such as AI-assisted ecological observation or nighttime landscape lighting powered by renewable energy.
The contest is open to Seodaemun-gu residents, as well as environment-related institutions and organizations based in the district. Students enrolled at schools in the district and employees of businesses located there may also participate.
The district will evaluate submissions on creativity, feasibility, sustainability and expected impact, selecting six winners in December. The top prize winner will receive 500,000 won ($374), with the total purse set at 1.4 million won.
A notable aspect of the contest is its direct link to actual policy. The district plans to review winning proposals with relevant departments and explore ways to incorporate them into Hongjecheon environmental improvement and space utilization policies and projects.
"Hongjecheon should be more than a facility managed by the government — it should be a space where residents and nature live together," Seodaemun-gu District Mayor Park Woon-ki said. "I hope the diverse ideas of our residents come together and translate into real change along Hongjecheon."
Submissions will be accepted from 9 a.m. Tuesday through 6 p.m. on Nov. 23. Further details are available on the Seodaemun-gu District Office website or through the Climate and Environment Division.
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