Dong-gu, Gwangju, Jeollanam-do Wins Grand Prize in Resource Circulation at the Korea Environmental Awards

Excellence of the Citizen-Led Resource Circulation Model Recognized

Dong-gu, Gwangju Integrated Special City in Jeollanam-do, announced on the 10th that it received the Grand Prize in the Resource Circulation category of the 2026 Korea Environmental Awards at the awards ceremony held on the 9th at the Small and Medium Business DMC Tower in Seoul, in recognition of the excellence of its resource circulation policies.

Donggu, Gwangju Metropolitan City in Jeollanam-do, received the grand prize in the resource circulation category at the "2026 Korea Environmental Awards," recognizing the excellence of its resource circulation policy at the award ceremony held on the 9th at the Seoul Small and Medium Business DMC Tower. Photo by Gwangju Donggu

The Korea Environmental Awards is the most prestigious environmental award in the country, jointly hosted by the Korea Environmental Awards Committee, Environmental Media, and Miraeneun Oursonanaega, and supported by the Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, among others. The award is presented to public institutions, companies, organizations, and individuals who have contributed to environmental conservation and sustainable development.

Dong-gu was selected as the winner in the Resource Circulation category after being highly praised in this year’s evaluation for the excellence of its citizen-led resource circulation model, centered around the Eco-Friendly Resource Circulation Center, which opened in March 2024.

The Eco-Friendly Resource Circulation Center, the first among public institutions nationwide to focus on "repair and maintenance," operates a variety of programs such as home repair education and repair workshops, leading the way in spreading a culture of resource circulation where residents repair and reuse items in their daily lives.

In addition, the "Donggurami Environmental Classroom" received certification as an excellent program from the Climate and Energy Environment Division, and resident participation programs such as "Circulation Life Planner Training" are being continuously operated to encourage practical resource circulation in daily life.

These policies have led to tangible results in waste reduction. Since Dong-gu declared innovation in sanitation administration in 2020, it has implemented various resource circulation policies. Despite population growth, the amount of food waste generated decreased by 9.6%, from 10,283 tons in 2019 to 9,299 tons in 2025. The amount of waste per household fell by 23.3%, and per capita waste generation decreased by 17.1%, demonstrating the substantial achievements of its resource circulation policies.

Taeck Im, Mayor of Dong-gu, stated, "This award is a valuable achievement made possible by the efforts of all the residents who actively participated in resource circulation practices," adding, "We will continue to expand resource circulation policies that residents can experience in their daily lives, in order to build a sustainable city."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.