Incheon Ongjin-gun Implements Youth Basic Ordinance... Includes '40s' in Youth Definition

On June 27, Incheon Ongjin-gun announced that it has enacted the first youth basic ordinance in Incheon that includes people up to their 40s as 'youth.'

Ongjin-gun established the 'Ongjin-gun Youth Basic Ordinance' to create a young and vibrant region by attracting a youth population, and promulgated it on the 24th. The ordinance defines youth as those aged between 18 and 49 and mandates the formulation of policies to expand their employment, develop educational programs, and stabilize housing. This significantly broadens the scope compared to the current Youth Basic Act, which defines youth as those aged between 19 and 34.

Ongjin-gun, consisting of over 100 islands, has seen a continuing population decline, with the aging rate rising from the 20% range in 2014 to over 30% this year. As of the end of last month, the average age reached 51.8 years.

Among the seven myeon (townships), the aging rate in three myeon?Bukdo, Deokjeok, and Jawol?exceeds 40%, raising concerns about declining regional vitality and various social issues such as disparities between regions and social classes. Reflecting these local conditions, people in their 40s were included within the youth category.

Moon Kyung-bok, the mayor of Ongjin-gun, stated, "We will improve residential conditions to enhance residents' quality of life, activate the influx of living population through transportation innovations such as the introduction of a large ferry to Baengnyeong, and create an environment where youth outflow is prevented and stable settlement is possible."

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