Seongdong-gu in Seoul, led by District Mayor Yoo Bo-hwa, is recruiting participants for its "2026 Seongdong-gu Big Data Analysis and Utilization Fellowship," a program aimed at using big data to address complex urban challenges and drive data-based policy innovation in the district.
The fellowship is a participatory research project in which participants diagnose key issues facing Seongdong-gu through big data analysis and develop practical solutions that can inform policy. Since 2024, the district has actively drawn on creative research findings from the fellowship as foundational material for crafting policies that residents can feel directly.
This year's participants will choose one of three designated research topics — an analysis of commercial connectivity among Seongdong-gu's major economic corridors (Wangsimni, Majang and Seongsu-dong), an analysis of spatial accessibility and optimal siting of cultural and sports infrastructure in the district, and the development of commercial monitoring indicators to prevent gentrification in Seongsu-dong — and conduct research over approximately four months from August through November.
The district will provide participants with research grants, customized analytical data and mentoring from experts in relevant fields to help them produce high-quality work. This year the program will place greater emphasis on practical deliverables such as visualizations and indicators, enabling frontline staff to intuitively grasp trends and apply findings to policy immediately, with the aim of strengthening the fellowship's contribution to district administration.
The program is open to graduate students and other semi-professionals with data analysis skills, and applications may be submitted individually or as a team. Those wishing to participate must submit their application by email to the program coordinator by Thursday, July 31. Full details and application forms are available on the Seongdong-gu Office website's news bulletin board.
"This fellowship will give aspiring data experts the opportunity to build policy research experience by analyzing real administrative data, while serving as a solid foundation for data-driven policy innovation in Seongdong-gu," District Mayor Yoo said. "We will proactively analyze urban challenges using big data to pursue more sophisticated and effective policies."
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