Sohyeon from Gyeonggi-do to Vietnam
Hello, I’m Sohyeon Kwon, a third-year student at Gyeongin National University of Education.
I like warm countries such as Vietnam and Hawaii. The photo I’m showing here was taken in Da Nang, Vietnam, last year. Whenever I travel, I always make sure to visit the sea. I think it’s fascinating that the atmosphere and color of the ocean can be different depending on the country and the region. That’s one of the reasons why I love traveling to warm places.
HOPE Project
Home Region 🏡: My area is located in Gunpo and Anyang, which are part of the first-generation new towns in Korea. As a new town, the area developed rapidly, but as time has passed, many parts of the area have become old and outdated.
O – Overview & Observation & Objective 🔍: One interesting thing about my area is that the atmosphere can be completely different even in places that are very close to each other. For example, if you cross a major road, you can suddenly see a very different environment. On one side, there are newer buildings and many convenient facilities, while on the other side, there are old houses and not enough local facilities. I think these differences between areas and the lack of convenient facilities in older parts of the area are some of the main problems in our community.
P – Plan 💡: I think there are two ways to solve the problems caused by aging neighborhoods and the concentration of convenience facilities in certain areas. First, we can redevelop old neighborhoods to replace old houses and revitalize local businesses. Second, we can improve public transportation to make it easier for people to access convenience facilities.
E – Execute & Example 🚀: Looking at examples from other regions, Busan improved its outdated residential areas and walking environments through the Renaissance Project. This helped reduce residents’ inconvenience, and the areas later developed into tourist attractions. In addition, Paju in Gyeonggi Province introduced demand-responsive buses called “Ddok Bus” to meet residents’ transportation needs as the new city expanded and public transportation became insufficient.
Based on these examples, Gunpo should carry out projects to renovate old neighborhoods and improve various facilities. However, these projects should be implemented in a way that prevents existing residents from being forced to move out due to rising rents. To revitalize local businesses, Gunpo currently encourages the use of local currency, but its monthly first-come, first-served application system prevents many people from benefiting from it. This problem should be addressed. In addition, existing bus routes have been adjusted to detour through newly developed residential complexes to provide access to nearby facilities. However, this has increased travel times and caused severe overcrowding during rush hours. Therefore, instead of continuing to modify existing routes, Gunpo should introduce entirely new bus routes to improve public transportation.
