Gapyeong-gun won the ‘Excellence Award’ for creating a clean economy and secured 100 million won in commercial expenses. Gapyeong-gun (Governor Seo Tae-won) announced on the 21st that it was selected as an excellent local government in the ‘City-County Evaluation for Creating a Clean Gyeonggi’ hosted by Gyeonggi Province and secured 100 million won in commercial project expenses.
‘Evaluation of cities and counties to create a clean economy’ is a project that evaluates resource circulation policies such as reducing waste and increasing recycling rates, cracking down on and promoting illegal activities, and establishing separate discharge infrastructure. This evaluation divided 31 cities and counties in the province into three groups (A, B, C) and inspected 14 quantitative evaluation indicators, including △ waste reduction △ improvement of recycling rate △ illegal activity crackdown and promotion, as well as special policies and best practices for household waste reduction. It was conducted as a qualitative evaluation.
Gapyeong-gun was selected as an excellent city-county in Group C as its specialized resource circulation policy and 14 evaluation items, including reducing waste generation, improving recycling rate, and expanding resident participation in purification activities, were highly evaluated.
In particular, Gapyeong-gun, under the theme of ‘Gapyeong-gun’s Resource Circulation Story’, △Operation of an integrated management system for bulky waste △Cleaning activities by senior environmental guardians △Supplying reusable cups and installing tumbler washing machines to reduce disposable products △Introducing an unmanned transparent PET bottle recovery machine △Recycling newspaper and paper We received excellent reviews for implementing various policies, including bag production.
Taeksun Kwon, head of the Resource Circulation Division, said, “This selection as an excellent local government is the result of cooperation between residents and public institutions,” and added, “We will continue to discover projects that involve residents and promote policies that can reduce waste and increase recycling rates.”
The awards ceremony will be held in December, and the 100 million won in commercial expenses secured will be used to strengthen resource circulation policies and improve residents’ convenience.
Meanwhile, the Gapyeong-gun District Council of the Korean Red Cross Volunteer Society (hereinafter referred to as Gapyeong Red Cross) delivered kimchi to about 270 vulnerable households in the district through the ‘Hope Windmill Sharing Kimchi of Love’ event on the 19th.
This event was prepared using 10 million won donated by Robocube Tech Co., Ltd. to the Korean Red Cross.
About 50 volunteer members and officials participated in the event from early in the morning, preparing kimchi ingredients and carefully making kimchi. The kimchi made on this day supported households with financial difficulties and conveyed the warmth of sharing to help them stay warm during the cold winter.
Kim Young-seok, CEO of Robocube Tech, said, “It is meaningful that many volunteer members can come together and share affection with their neighbors despite the chilly weather,” and promised, “We will practice sharing for the people of Gapyeong-gun next year as well.” Robocube Tech is an industrial robot manufacturer headquartered in Namyangju City, and is exerting a positive influence by continuously donating to local communities such as Namyangju, Guri, and Yangpyeong.
Gapyeong Red Cross Chairman Won Ji-yeon said, “I hope that the kimchi made with sincerity will be a small help in helping our neighbors have a healthy and warm winter.”
The Saemaul Men and Women Leaders Association of Cheongpyeong-myeon, Gapyeong-gun held the ‘Sharing Kimchi of Love’ event in the parking lot of the Cheongpyeong-myeon office for two days from the 19th to the 20th, with about 50 association members participating.
This kimchi sharing event was organized by the Cheongpyeong-myeon Saemaul Men and Women Leaders Council and sponsored by the Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power Plant Cheongpyeong Power Plant. The members plan to deliver 1,200 heads of kimchi, carefully prepared over two days, to about 200 households in Cheongpyeong-myeon, including recipients of basic livelihood security, the next-lowest class, and low-income households.
Saemaeul Women’s Association President Lee Yang-ok said, “I hope that the kimchi that our members carefully made will be delivered to our neighbors in need and help them have a warm winter,” and also expressed gratitude to the volunteers who participated in the event.
Economy Queen Gapyeong-gun
.
Interview Subject: Taeksun Kwon, Head of the Resource Circulation Division, Gapyeong-gun
Interviewer: Emma Lee, Editor of Time.news
Emma Lee: Welcome, Taeksun, and thank you for joining us today! Congratulations on Gapyeong-gun receiving the Excellence Award for creating a clean economy. What does this recognition mean for the community?
Taeksun Kwon: Thank you, Emma! This award is a significant milestone for Gapyeong-gun. It validates the hard work and dedication of our residents and local government towards sustainability. It also provides us with an opportunity to further enhance our resource circulation policies and improve the quality of life for our community.
Emma Lee: That’s fantastic! Could you share some insights into the evaluation criteria that led to this award?
Taeksun Kwon: Certainly! The evaluation involved assessing various resource circulation policies, focusing on waste reduction, recycling rates, and community involvement. We were evaluated on 14 indicators, including waste generation reduction, efforts to improve recycling rates, and how effectively we crack down on illegal activities. Special policies and best practices for household waste management were also taken into account.
Emma Lee: It sounds very comprehensive. Can you elaborate on some of the specific initiatives that contributed to Gapyeong-gun’s success?
Taeksun Kwon: Absolutely! One of our standout programs is the operation of an integrated management system for bulky waste. We’ve also initiated cleaning activities led by our senior environmental guardians, which has increased community participation in keeping our environment clean. Additionally, we introduced reusable cups and tumbler washing machines to cut down on single-use plastics, and installed an unmanned PET bottle recovery machine to encourage recycling. Each of these initiatives showcases our commitment to a clean economy.
Emma Lee: Those initiatives sound remarkable! What role do you see residents playing in this journey towards a clean economy?
Taeksun Kwon: Residents are at the heart of our efforts. Their engagement and cooperation were crucial in this achievement. We’re committed to discovering more projects that involve community participation. The involvement of residents can drive significant change and foster a culture of sustainability that extends beyond just individual practices.
Emma Lee: With the award comes a financial incentive of 100 million won for commercial projects. How will this funding be utilized?
Taeksun Kwon: We plan to use this funding to further strengthen our resource circulation policies and enhance convenience for residents. This may include expanding our recycling programs, improving waste management systems, and possibly launching educational initiatives to raise awareness about the importance of waste reduction and recycling.
Emma Lee: It sounds like Gapyeong-gun is set on a positive path. Now, in addition to the environmental initiatives, I understand that the Gapyeong-gun District Council recently organized a ‘Hope Windmill Sharing Kimchi of Love’ event. Could you tell us more about that?
Taeksun Kwon: Yes, that was a beautiful initiative led by the Korean Red Cross Volunteer Society. It brought together about 50 volunteers to prepare kimchi for 270 vulnerable households in our district. This event was funded by donations from Robocube Tech, highlighting how community collaboration can make a real impact. It’s not only about supporting environmental goals but also ensuring that our vulnerable neighbors feel warmth and support, especially during the cold winter months.
Emma Lee: It truly represents the spirit of community. As we wrap up, what message would you like to convey to other local governments looking to create sustainable policies?
Taeksun Kwon: My message would be to engage with your residents actively. Sustainability is a collective effort, and when local governments and communities unite, we can create effective and innovative solutions that benefit everyone. There’s so much potential when we collaborate.
Emma Lee: Thank you, Taeksun, for sharing these insights with us. We’re excited to see how Gapyeong-gun continues to lead in clean economy initiatives!
Taeksun Kwon: Thank you, Emma! It’s been a pleasure discussing our initiatives, and I look forward to sharing more successes in the future.