Songpa-gu marks 10th anniversary of 'Simkung Day' cultural welfare program for vulnerable children

Songpa-gu in Seoul will hold a special 10th-anniversary ceremony for "Simkung Day," a flagship cultural support program for vulnerable children run through the Dream Start initiative.

The district announced Tuesday it will host the ceremony Thursday at 10 a.m. on the 10th floor of the Songpa-gu Office, inviting about 20 college students and family members who have graduated from the Dream Start program. Dream Start is a government-led child welfare program supporting children from vulnerable households, covering children from birth — including pregnant mothers — through age 12, along with their families.

The ceremony will include a scholarship presentation for Dream Start graduates, with three college students who previously received support through the program set to receive awards. Following the ceremony, 120 children and family members from low-income households in the district will be invited to the 10th Simkung Day event, where they will watch the musical "Under the Sea" and receive dining vouchers worth 30,000 won ($21) per person. Since the program launched in 2017, cumulative donations channeled through Simkung Day have reached 80 million won.