Uijeongbu seeks to shed shabby image with trot, liquor

By Chung Joo-won SEOUL, Feb. 25 (Yonhap) -- It is not unusual for local governments and organizations to dub viral entertainment figures as their honorary ambassadors for promotional purposes. But for the municipality of Uijeongbu, Gyeonggi Province, the task is a mission that cannot afford to fail. Inspired by a thesis by Kim Jong-in, a professor of health and welfare at Wonkwang University, the city has organized a campaign since January to break free of its long-held stigma, involuntarily carried for decades since the impoverished days of the 1950-1953 Korean war. The thesis states that the environmental, economic and infrastructural benefits of Uijeongbu make it "the (Korean) city where residents 65 years old or older have the highest chance of surviving 100 years or longer" -- a chance for a makeover like a blessed rain after a drought. "Uijeongbu plans to unbind itself from the old images associated with the U.S. military base and budaejjigae (a spicy stew mixed with chopped kimchi), and elevate the city's brand value as a city of longevity and happiness," a spokesperson of the Uijeongbu government said. After requiring each municipal department to submit at least one proposal to reestablish Uijeongbu as "a city of centennials," the city appointed late-blooming trot singer Lee Ae-ran, who gained fast popularity with her viral song "A Centennial Life," as its honorary ambassador on Feb. 19. Since late last year, "A Centennial Life" has grown so popular that its refrain "jeonhaera" (go and tell them) became one of the most frequently used catchphrases on numerous social network service postings, blogs, advertisements and news headlines. Uijeongbu's mayor said the 52-year-old singer's song strongly resonates with Uijeongbu's concept of "a city of centennials," pinning high hopes on the song's immense popularity being able to spread awareness of the campaign quickly. It said Kim Jong-wan, the lyricist of the trot song, used to live in Uijeongbu for some years, giving the song geographic ties to the city. The city estimates that the two-year contract with the singer and lyricist will be between 10 million won (US$ 8,100) to 30 million won per year, according to multiple officials in the public relations department. The actual cost may be different from the estimate, depending on the number of performances and the cost to modify the lyrics to promote the centennial city. Regarding this "operation centennial," the municipality apparently has a strong penchant for products with names including "centennial," which at times seems like a deviation from its publicity. The city is even considering a promotional partnership with local brewery Kooksoondang, the maker of the popular herbal liquor "Bekseju," to promote the campaign. Bekseju means "a liquor of centennial longevity" according to the brewer -- a huge benefit for a regulation-intense industry that its equally suppressed tobacco manufacturing peers may see as favoritism. In addition to selecting promotional partners and ambassadors, the municipality said it will continue to develop additional measures to promote Uijeongbu as a city of centennial longevity and apply them to the city's operations, old and new. This includes changing the printed city identity slogan from the existing "city of hope" to "city of centennials." On Feb. 29 the municipality is slated to convene a meeting to allocate a budget for various operations of the centennial city campaign. Uijeongbu stands out in the eyes of the public, especially among Seoulites, who are widely believed to live in the center of medical and infrastructural services. After all, Uijeongbu has an area of 81.54 square-kilometers and population of 430,000, a far smaller community compared to the capital city which is 608.28 square-kilometers and populated by 10 million. As of last December, the senior population of those aged 65 or older in Uijeongbu reached 53,282, or 12.3 percent of the city's population, according to the municipal data. Those at 100 years old and older stood at 169, the largest tally nationwide. According to Uijeongbu's data citing the Wonkwang University professor's thesis, the city's health benefits owe much to its abundant senior nursing and welfare facilities, in addition to its 1-hour proximity to Seoul where the country's major medical centers are located. As of the end of December 2015, Uijeongbu operates 83 nursing homes for elderly citizens, a number that far exceeds its provincial peers of Paju, Pyeongtaek and Anyang, which only have 31 to 77 such senior facilities and demographics similar to Uijeongbu. Uijeongbu also has 169 institutional providers of home visiting services for senior residents, along with six hospitals for seniors. The city's geographical placement near Mount Dobong and Jungnang Stream is also part of the city's advantages when becoming a city of longevity, the municipality said. jwc@yna.co.kr (END)