National Integration Committee to Foster Capable Young Politicians

The Presidential Committee on National Integration (hereinafter referred to as the National Integration Committee) is reviewing institutional improvements to enable young people, who have been marginalized in politics, to enter the political arena, while also fostering capable young politicians.

On the 15th, Kim Han-gil, Chairman of the National Integration Committee, held the launch ceremony of the "Special Committee on Youth Politics Era" (hereinafter referred to as the Youth Politics Special Committee) at the 'Youth Culture Space JU' in Mapo-gu, Seoul, and emphasized, "Young people themselves inevitably know best about issues related to their lives. The youth, as the main stakeholders, must enter the political arena in large numbers to find solutions and balance society."

The chairperson of the Youth Politics Special Committee is Professor Jeong Hoe-ok of Myongji University’s Department of Political Science and Diplomacy, who is also a member of the National Integration Committee’s Political and Regional Subcommittee. She has also served as an innovation committee member for the People Power Party.

Prior to the launch of the Youth Politics Special Committee, the National Integration Committee operated a six-week preparatory task force (TF) to tentatively establish the direction of the committee’s discussions. First, to expand youth representation by enabling young people to directly participate in the political process, the committee is reviewing improvements to systems that have acted as barriers to political entry. In addition, to nurture capable young politicians, it is promoting measures to strengthen the political capabilities of youth, such as youth and adolescent political education.

Furthermore, to explore policies representing youth and ways to realize youth politics, the committee is considering building infrastructure for youth committees that can address youth interest agendas such as employment and housing. It is also seeking to enhance youth political efficacy by expanding youth participation in regional governance. The scope of youth discussions will be broadened to include diverse youth groups such as those living outside the metropolitan area and high school graduates.

The launch of the Youth Politics Special Committee is also linked to the Yoon Seok-yeol administration’s pledge to "significantly expand opportunities for youth participation." The National Integration Committee stated, "We plan to strive to gain public consensus on expanding youth political participation and to bring about substantive changes in the political arena through the activities of the Youth Politics Special Committee."

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