Abandoned Bicycles Repaired and Shared with Neighbors... Gwanak District Gives Away 63 Refurbished Bikes

Collected and repaired by self-sufficiency program participants
More than 1,300 bicycles distributed since 2012

Seoul’s Gwanak District (Mayor Park Junhee) has repaired bicycles abandoned on the streets and given them to neighbors in need. Participants in the self-sufficiency program were responsible for collecting and repairing the bicycles.

Park Junhui, mayor of Gwanak District, and an official from the Gwanak Regional Self-Sufficiency Center pose for a commemorative photo at the "2026 Bicycle Love Sharing Donation Ceremony" held in the plaza in front of the district office on the 6th. Photo provided by Gwanak District.

The district announced on November 9 that it had held the “Love Bicycle Sharing” event with the bicycle project team at the Gwanak Regional Self-Sufficiency Center in the plaza in front of the district office on November 6, and donated 63 refurbished bicycles.

The program began in 2012. Abandoned bicycles in the city are collected and repaired, then distributed to vulnerable groups. Through this year, more than 1,300 bicycles have been given to low-income households, multicultural families, and single-parent families.

Participants in the self-sufficiency center’s bicycle project team handle every step, from collection to repair. Through this work, they learn bicycle maintenance skills and build a foundation for self-reliance. The district also provides free repairs for three months to residents who receive bicycles. The district expects the program to reduce carbon emissions from manufacturing new bicycles and plans to continue providing work experience to participants in its self-sufficiency program.

“It is very meaningful that abandoned bicycles are being reborn as reliable means of transportation for residents after being carefully repaired,” Mayor Park Junhee said. “We will continue to promote resource circulation and bicycle use, and do our utmost to ensure that a warm culture of sharing with neighbors continues to spread throughout the community.”

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