Gwangju Nam-gu Council, "Active Support Needed for Youth Mental Health"

Assemblyman Shin Jong-hyuk's 5-Minute Free Speech at the 293rd Extraordinary Session

The Gwangju Nam-gu Council announced on the 4th that Assemblyman Shin Jong-hyuk delivered a 5-minute free speech during the 4th plenary session of the 293rd extraordinary meeting held on the 4th, emphasizing the need to support young people's mental health counseling for depression that triggers extreme choices among youth.

On that day, Assemblyman Shin stated in his 5-minute speech, "Depression, often called the common cold of the mind, if left untreated early, gradually worsens and can lead to extreme choices," adding, "According to recent media reports, the suicide rate among young people increased by 60% compared to the previous year during March and April."

He continued, "The bodies and minds of young people are being worn down by stress, but there are few places or ways to receive help," and argued, "'Youth is painful' is an irresponsible phrase that only offers consolation, but today's youth are in a crisis situation."

He also pointed out, "Gwangju City is conducting a 'Youth Mental Health Counseling Project' targeting five autonomous districts, but Nam-gu is the only district excluded," noting, "Nam-gu did not apply for the project last year or this year, and as a result, young people in Nam-gu have to go to Seo-gu to receive mental health counseling."

He added, "If the district budget cannot support young people, national and city funds should be used to ensure that young people in Nam-gu can benefit, but Nam-gu has not even made such efforts, and youth policies should not only focus on job creation but also expand with diversity."

Assemblyman Shin concluded his 5-minute free speech by saying, "I hope Nam-gu becomes a better place for young people to live through thoughtful consideration and proactive administration to improve the quality of life for youth."

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