Appointment ceremony held Wednesday at district office planning room; first session covered credentials, second covered reporting skills
Dongjak-gu held the appointment ceremony for its 8th honorary reporter corps Wednesday at the district office's planning conference room.
The district has operated the honorary reporter program since 2012 to deliver local news from residents' perspectives, working to produce a community newsletter driven by public participation.
The 8th corps consists of 22 members selected through an open recruitment drive held from Oct. 2 to Oct. 20, targeting Dongjak-gu residents as well as workers and university students based in the district.
More than half of the corps members run personal social media accounts, and the group also includes individuals with experience as intern reporters and column contributors, adding to its content production and reporting capabilities.
Spanning ages from their 20s to their 60s, the honorary reporters are expected to pursue diverse coverage reflecting the perspectives and interests of different generations.
The ceremony's first session saw members receive appointment certificates and press credentials. In the second session, a working journalist led a professional training workshop on the theme "The moment your neighborhood becomes a story."
Over the next two years, the honorary reporters will cover the district's major policies, projects and events, as well as lifestyle information useful to residents, and write it up as articles.
The district will pay 50,000 won ($37) per article published in the newsletter. It also plans to use the reporters' content across a range of promotional channels — including social media and video — beyond the Dongjak-gu newsletter, to broaden awareness of district news.
The 8th corps' first articles will appear in the January 2027 issue of the district newsletter "Dongjak-gu Sosik."
Dongjak-gu District Mayor Ryu Sam-young said the honorary reporter program carries great significance because it looks at the community through residents' eyes and uncovers the diverse values of Dongjak-gu. "We will actively support the honorary reporters so they can work with affection and pride for their community, and together with residents we will build a better tomorrow for Dongjak-gu," Ryu said.
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