Nonsan mayor vows to make child-friendly city

Nonsan Mayor Baek Sung-hyeon speaks during an interview with The Korea Times at the city government's office in Nonsan, South Chungcheong Province, April 24. Korea Times photo by Jhoo Dong-chan

The city of Nonsan is drawing attention for its tireless efforts in promoting the rights of children.

In a bid to overcome Korea’s demographic problems, the city in South Chungcheong Province has gone to great efforts to foster a child-friendly community, creating a better civic environment not only for future parents but also for children, Nonsan Mayor Baek Sung-hyeon said.

“Nearly 100 provincial cities around Korea are on the verge of disappearing. Young people leave them for better education or jobs. The remaining population is eventually aging,” Baek said during an interview with The Korea Times.

“Now, a city needs to provide not only quality jobs but also a friendly environment to raise kids. Nonsan is building various facilities for kids. A playground utilizing AI technology, toy libraries and water pools have already been or will be built in the city by May.”

According to a city official, Nonsan has seen a longstanding downward trend in the number of children born each year, but managed to bounce back last year thanks to the city’s efforts.

“It was a huge relief,” the 64-year-old mayor said.

“Our effort in fostering a child-friendly city is second to none among the country’s local governments. I will do my best to make Nonsan the best Korean city to raise kids.”

Members of the Nonsan Bluebird Chorus pose after the choir's performance at Nonsan Art Center in South Chungcheong Province, Jan. 25, 2024. Courtesy of Nonsan City

Promoting children's rights in song

In September 2017, Nonsan published a song promoting the rights of children while founding a children’s choir with kids living in the city’s three orphanages.

The choir, named the Nonsan Bluebird Chorus, has since performed the song, “We are all Precious,” 66 times not only at the city’s social welfare facilities but also at various charity events in other regions to bring cheer to needy neighbors.

“It is important for kids to feel loved and cared for when they are born. By being there for your neighbors, we want them to learn the world is worth living for,” said Nonsan City Childcare and Welfare head Choi Young-suk.

Choi has led the city’s various projects for a child-friendly city since her appointment to her current office in 2016. She has also supported the choir’s various activities.

“We aim to make a city where our children are happy. These kids might have been through unspeakable events before they came to the orphanages. We believe in music. It could heal their unseen wounds,” Choi said.

The city of Nonsan hosted a national choir competition for singing “We are all Precious” in May last year. Fifteen choirs participated in the event, with the Daejeon World Vision Choir taking home top honors.

Nonsan Mayor Baek Sung-hyeon shows an appreciation plaque given by a group of the city's children in his office in the South Chungcheong provincial city, April 24. Korea Times photo by Jhoo Dong-chan

UN's official song

Baek said Nonsan will host the competition as an annual event in a bid to raise awareness for children's rights.

“We plan to host the competition in October this year,” the mayor said.

“Along with our efforts for the event, Nonsan also plans to register it as the U.N.’s official song for the rights of children all over the world.”

The city signed a memorandum of understanding with EBS, Korea’s public education broadcaster, in March to promote the song to the U.N. EBS said it will use the song for its popular children’s show, "Let's Get Together, Ding Dong Deng.”

The Daejeon World Vision Choir also plans to record the song in six different official U.N. languages.

A number of missionaries, including ones working in Africa and Southeast Asian countries like Philippine as well as Central Asian countries like Nepal, have expressed their interest in learning the song for their overseas charity activities.

Last year, UNICEF Korea recognized the relentless efforts of the city, naming it a top-tier child-friendly city for its Child Friendly Cities Initiative project.

Baek said the recognition demonstrates Nonsan’s dedication to putting children first.

“We will expand our efforts towards kids from multicultural families and handicapped children,” he said.

“We will do our best to invite them for our choir competition in October. We want to see more children singing together happily.”

Children play at a waterpool playground of the Nonsan Citizen's Family Park in the South Chungcheong provincial city, July 23, 2024. Courtesy of Nonsan City

Baek's promise to children

Baek invited families to the city hall for his first official schedule as a mayor when he came to the current post in 2022. He recalled a number of parents called for play facilities for children during the meeting.

"And one kid jumped over to me and went, 'Grandpa, would you build a swimming pool near my house? I like to play in the water,'" Baek said.

"I said yes. It was obviously one of my goals as a mayor to make Nonsan a child-friendly community, but more importantly, I just wanted to keep my word with the kid."

The city built a waterpool playground at the Strawberry Theme Park in Nonsan in July 2023. The playground is open to children aged between 3 and 9 with admission free.
Nonsan also built its second waterpool playground at the Nonsan Citizen's Family Park in July 2024.

"Not only kids from Nonsan but also other children from neighboring regions had visited the water pool playground of the Strawberry Theme Park. We had to make the second one," the mayor said.

"It is the city's role to provide an infrastructure where children have fun in a safe environment. It is also our duty to keep the promises we made to our future generation," he stressed.