Yongin City, an 'Child-Friendly City,' Strengthens Policies Further

'Child Rights Ombudsperson' and 'Child Rights Education' Programs Launched
Mayor Sang-il Lee Also Takes the Stage with Children

Yongin City in Gyeonggi Province, designated by UNICEF as a 'Child-Friendly City,' is strengthening policies to improve children's rights.

According to Yongin City on the 21st, the city held a meeting of the 'Child Rights Ombudsperson' at City Hall on the 19th. The 'Child Rights Ombudsperson' is an independent representative who advocates for children's positions, receiving cases of child rights violations, conducting investigations and consultations, and proposing improvements.

At the meeting, Ombudsperson members Lawyer Lee Won-gi, Professor Jung Jin-na of the Early Childhood Education Department at Yongin University of Arts and Science, and Jung Soon-ok, Director of Yongin Youth Center, attended and shared their opinions.

Lawyer Lee said, "We will conduct diverse and in-depth discussions from the children's perspective on policies proposed by children to ensure they lead to actual policies," adding, "We will share cases of child rights violations and suggest various improvement measures to contribute to the promotion of children's rights."

Yongin City is implementing various policies to strengthen children's rights. On the 20th, a children's rights education session was held for social welfare facilities in the Yongin area.
[Photo by Yongin City]

On the 20th, the city also invited Park Mi-young, a human rights instructor from the National Human Rights Commission, to provide child rights education to social welfare facilities in the region. The education held at 'Dahamtge Dolbom Center Branch 3' located in Yeokbuk-dong, Cheoin-gu, was attended by directors of 16 Dahamtge Dolbom Centers in the area and one center director of a soon-to-open Dahamtge Dolbom Center.

The city also conducted a year-round program called 'Visiting Child Rights Education.' From April to November, in cooperation with the Yongin Office of Education, they visited 26 kindergartens and elementary, middle, and high schools in the region to provide education to students and parents. This education, which explained the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and the four fundamental rights of children, was attended by over 4,300 students and parents.

Lee Sang-il, Mayor of Yongin (right), is talking with children at a classical concert hosted by Myeongji Child Research Institute on the 20th.
[Photo by Yongin City]

The actions of Mayor Lee Sang-il of Yongin also attract attention. On the 20th, Mayor Lee attended the 'Classical Concert with Myongji University' held at the Maru Hall of Yongin Cultural Arts Center, where Myongji University's 'Myongji Child Research Institute' invited 180 children from public daycare centers in Yongin and 30 childcare staff.

In particular, at the beginning of the performance, Mayor Lee went on stage to lead a train parade with the children and deliver a message. He also sang a song with lyrics he personally adapted from a classical piece during the event.

The mayor said, "I believe children's voices are the most beautiful instruments in the world," adding, "I hope the children gathered here will use the instruments they each have to create beautiful sounds."

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