Yangcheon-gu, a densely populated residential area in southwestern Seoul, is home to Mok-dong, one of the city's largest hagwon districts.

This area is known for its thriving private education industry, with many children aspiring to gain admission to prestigious colleges. According to district Mayor Lee Ki-jae, Yangcheon aims to expand its presence in the education sector by transforming into a comprehensive educational hub that caters to all learning needs, from toddlers to seniors.

"Yangcheon aims to emerge as South Korea's leading education city," Lee said in an interview with The Korea Herald. "I am dedicated to integrating career guidance, future-focused education, and lifelong learning across all generations, thus enabling the continuous development of Yangcheon."

He gave the example of Yangcheon Education Support Center, a community center designed to offer a wide range of services, from personalized counseling to programs that prepare residents for the "fourth industrial revolution."

Acting as an educational control tower, it will provide learning support, including one-on-one college entrance counseling, learning consultations, and self-directed learning coaching. To ensure children and young people throughout the district can access education in AI, robotics, and coding, there are plans to set up future education centers in several places, according to Lee.

The mayor envisions Yangcheon as a lifelong community, where people choose to stay well beyond their children's school years, creating a place where residents of all ages can thrive.

"Yangcheon is evolving into a place where individuals can pursue lifelong learning," said Lee.

To support this vision, the district has launched a comprehensive Lifelong Learning Integration Online Portal, providing information on over 1,560 courses throughout the region.

Given that most lifelong learning facilities and courses are concentrated in other areas of the district, Lee aims to strengthen Yangcheon's educational offerings by expanding these resources into previously underserved areas in the district, such as Sinwol-dong. Addressing this educational gap, the newly opened Sinwol Lifelong Learning Center offers tailored professional courses and certification programs.

"These programs facilitate personal development through cooking, crafts, and horticulture and promote employment and entrepreneurship opportunities," Lee said.

Among the series of policies aimed at strengthening Yangcheon's identity as an education city, the most significant is the Y-Education Expo. "As the first large-scale education expo organized by a local government in South Korea, it publicizes Yangcheon's status as a leading education city nationwide," Lee noted.

Since taking office in July 2022, Lee has pushed forward the idea of the Y-Education Expo, which has proven to be a massive success with events in September 2023 and May 2024. It is set to continue as an annual event, further solidifying Yangcheon's reputation as an educational hub, according to Yangcheon-gu officials.

"The Y-Education Expo capitalizes on Yangcheon's educational strengths, attracting talent and curiosity from across the nation," Lee emphasized. The event welcomed over 53,000 visitors this year, turning the district into a vibrant educational platform. Lee designed the expo to highlight not only traditional academic pathways but also future educational paradigms beyond the classroom. Therefore, the expo addressed the increasing demand for innovative education through multifaceted programs, including career coaching workshops, the ChatGPT English Speech Contest and the Drone Soccer Tournament.

Lee vowed not only to strengthen Yangcheon's image as an education-specialized district but also to resolve the district's long-standing issues, including housing reconstruction and the aircraft noise from Gimpo Airport, within his current term.

Yangcheon is currently advancing urban renewal, highlighted by apartment reconstruction in Mok-dong. This project not only revitalizes housing infrastructure but also creates community-centric spaces that raise living standards.

"Since taking office, I have focused all my efforts on shaping Yangcheon into a new, future-oriented city. Currently, reconstruction and redevelopment are actively progressing in 64 areas in the district," Lee said.

Notably, Mok-dong Apartment Complex 6, a leader in this initiative, finalized a development plan in July to transform into a landmark high-rise with up to 49 floors.

In tandem with these efforts, preparations are being made to ensure that essential public infrastructure -- such as transportation, bridges, public offices, schools, and social welfare facilities -- are developed on schedule in line with the pace of the reconstruction and redevelopment projects, according to Lee.

Lee also has committed to transforming the former Seobu Truck Terminal into a significant urban high-tech logistics complex, marking a substantial change for Yangcheon-gu.

The development will cover approximately 99,000 square meters and relocate the cargo depot underground, while the above-ground area will host a large shopping center, and residential facilities. "This complex, with buildings up to 25 floors and a total area of 790,000 square meters, will turn the Shinjung and Sinwol areas into a vibrant hub," Lee stressed. The project also includes building the Shinjung Sports Center with amenities like a swimming pool and bowling alley, expected to generate about 5,500 jobs. The district aims to start construction next year, completing by 2028.

Concurrently, the Mokdong Stadium area is set for redevelopment into a cultural and sports complex. As a key project for balanced development, it marks the Seoul Metropolitan Government's full engagement, aiming to blend sports facilities and green spaces like those at Jamsil Olympic Park while planning to construct new MICE facilities, leveraging the area's proximity to Gimpo and Incheon international airports. "This ambitious plan is expected to have significant economic impacts, with details finalized after a study in 2025," Lee said.

Furthermore, Yangcheon is actively tackling the issue of aircraft noise from its proximity to Gimpo International Airport, said Lee.

With 51.3 percent of households in the district affected by the Gimpo airport noise, Yangcheon has introduced substantial support initiatives, including property tax reductions, establishing a comprehensive support center, and offering hearing-related assistance, Lee noted.

Additionally, the district subsidizes airport usage fees for residents impacted by chronic noise -- 4,000 won ($3) for domestic flights and 17,000 won for international flights annually. Also, to ensure residents are not disturbed during nighttime, Yangcheon is continually advocating to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport and the Korea Airports Corporation to reduce nighttime flight operations by an hour. In a creative move, the district plans to hold a large-scale rock festival in Sinwol-dong in September, aiming to offer a reprieve from noise through enjoyable music.

"In the next two years, I will remain committed to finding solutions on the ground, as I have done thus far, and will work tirelessly to shape Yangcheon into a desirable and livable community," Lee said.

This article is the twelfth installment in a series of feature stories and interviews that delve deeper into the hidden stories of Seoul’s 25 districts. -- Ed.