What Is the Secret Behind Yongsan-gu Winning the Youth-Friendly Governance Award?

‘Communication Field’ Award Achievement... Received Certificate of Excellence for Organization... Award Ceremony on September 18 at Olympic Park... District Mayor Seong Hyun Growth: “I Will Dedicate This Honor to the Youth Who Supported Us”

[Asia Economy Reporter Jongil Park] Yongsan-gu (Mayor Seongjang Hyun) was selected as an excellent basic local government in the 4th Youth-Friendly Legislative Award in 2021.

The Youth-Friendly Legislative Award is given to individuals or organizations who have contributed to creating a better social environment through outstanding achievements such as legislation and communication for youth.

It is organized by the Youth and Future Association (Youth-Friendly Selection Committee) under the jurisdiction of the National Assembly Secretariat.

The award categories are divided into comprehensive, policy, and communication awards, and the district achieved the honor in the 'communication category.'

Since the 7th local government administration, the district has significantly strengthened youth policies with the goal of ‘Yongsan where youth live well together.’

After enacting and promulgating the district’s Youth Basic Ordinance in March 2019, over two years (May 2019 to May 2021), it formed and operated the ‘nation’s largest’ youth policy advisory group (215 members) and newly established a youth job fund amounting to 12 billion KRW.

In particular, the youth policy advisory group was divided into 10 subcommittees covering employment and entrepreneurship, youth festivals, system improvement, youth activity spaces, etc., conducting discussions and policy proposals. This year, the organization is being streamlined into a ‘Youth Policy Network’ to enhance its substance.

To this end, last April, the district operated an ‘Online Youth Policy School: Starting Youth Policy Without Fear’ targeting local youth. Network members (30 people) are being recruited until the 13th and will be active from this month until the end of next year.

A district official said, “We are making various efforts to communicate with youth and establish policy governance,” adding, “This year, we will implement projects such as the Youth Why Not Project, Useful Youth Trivia, and Youth 3-Gil Exploration Project.”

The construction of ‘Yongsan Youth Jium’ utilizing a donated facility (Seobinggo-ro 17) in Yongsan International Building District 4 is also noteworthy. Yongsan Youth Jium is 710㎡ in size, making it the largest youth community space in Seoul. It includes a book cafe, healing room, mini cinema, and this year will run projects such as ▲Connectors: People Who Want to Connect Despite COVID-19 ▲Addition Project ▲Jium Lab ▲Yongsan Youth Workshop ▲Jiumtopia ▲Jium Forest.

Additionally, the district plans to improve the lives of local youth one by one through support for youth club activities (up to 2 million KRW per club), hosting Youth Week events (scheduled for the third Saturday of September), operating a youth startup support center, providing employment incentives for unemployed youth (50,000 KRW worth of Yongsan Love Gift Certificates), and offering the nation’s lowest interest rate loans (0.8%).

Yongsan-gu Mayor Seongjang Hyun said, “Since last July, we have accelerated policy activation by establishing a dedicated youth project team,” and added, “I dedicate this award honor to the local youth who have participated with us.”

The 4th Youth-Friendly Legislative Award ceremony is scheduled to be held on September 18 at the special stage of the ‘2021 5th Korea Youth Day Festival’ at the Olympic Park Peace Plaza.

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