Songchuk-dong Residents' Autonomous Center Wins Excellence Award at National Exhibition

Songchuk-dong in Jangan-gu, Suwon, won the Excellence Award in the Overall Operations category at the "2007 National Residents' Autonomous Centers Exhibition."

According to the city on the 16th, the Residents' Autonomous Centers Exhibition, held annually under the auspices of the Ministry of Government Administration and Home Affairs, attracted 65 residents' autonomous centers from six categories that passed the preliminary rounds. Among these, Songchuk-dong Residents' Autonomous Center (Director Kim Jin-woo, Autonomous Committee Chairman Hong Sang-dae) earned the Excellence Award in the Overall Operations category.

The Residents' Autonomous Centers Exhibition, held in Sokcho, Gangwon Province from the 11th to 13th, was hosted by Sokcho City and the Citizens' Coalition for Open Society. A total of 21 people attended the exhibition, including the director, four relevant civil servants, and 17 staff members from Songchuk-dong Residents' Autonomous Center.

The award was given in recognition of ensured operational transparency through open recruitment of residents' autonomous committee members, program operations connecting with community resources such as Dongnam Health College and the YMCA, projects to create livable neighborhoods through developing a green ecological village using Manseok Park, and activities including donation of wheelchairs to those in need.

Chairman Hong stated, "I hope this excellence award at the exhibition will contribute to activating residents' autonomous centers in Suwon," and added, "I understand this recognition as encouragement to operate the autonomous center in an increasingly progressive direction, and we are grateful to receive it."

Meanwhile, Songchuk-dong Residents' Autonomous Center was designated as a pilot autonomous center in Suwon in 1999 and has since played a leading role in Suwon's residents' autonomous center operations, including establishing regulations for center management and collecting program fees.

The Grand Prize this year went to Deok-yang-dong, Suncheon, while Yi-hyeon-dong, Jinju received the Premier Award.