Youth-Led 'Gumi Saehuimangho', Promoting Youth-Friendly City Initiative

Policy Committee and Participation Group for Local Era... Youth-Led Policy System

2024: The Year of Completing Youth Hubs and Expanding Youth Participation Programs

Gumi City in Gyeongbuk laid the foundation last year to realize an era led by youth.

Youth Policy Participation Group Launch Ceremony.

To establish a youth policy system, a dedicated Population and Youth Department was created, and a budget of 14.1 billion KRW was allocated and executed across 7 tasks (Employment, Start-up, Academics, Cheer-up, Build-up, What's-up, Collaboration) and 68 projects under the ‘SE7EN-UP Youth Policy’ to support all aspects of young people's lives.

Additionally, to expand youth participation across all areas of city administration, the city formed a partnership of mutual cooperation with young people and moved forward together. The ‘Youth Policy Committee’ was appointed with 100% youth members, and the ‘Youth Policy Participation Group’ was significantly expanded from 27 to 150 members to listen to the voices of young people from various fields.

In 2023, three central government public projects were selected, securing a total of 1.7 billion KRW in national funds. Through ▲ Ministry of Employment and Labor (Youth Employment Support Division) ‘Youth Challenge Support Project’, △ Ministry of the Interior and Safety (Regional Economy Division) ‘Hometown Olrae Public Contest Project’, and ▲ Ministry of the Interior and Safety (Balanced Development System Division) ‘Local Government Low Birthrate Response Public Contest Project’, the city focused on job concerns and building local youth infrastructure.

This year, the city plans to complete youth policy infrastructure and organize new projects centered on jobs, housing, and participation.

Mayor Kim Jang-ho said, “2023 was an important year to lay the foundation for youth,” and added, “In 2024, Gumi City will vigorously advance to establish itself as a youth-friendly city.”

◆ Establishing a Policy System for a Youth-Led Local Era

The city established the Population and Youth Department to address youth issues more strategically. Unlike the previous organizational structure that covered both youth and adolescents, youth policy is now handled from a population perspective, aiming to build an integrated support system that oversees the entire life cycle of youth without focusing on specific areas.

To this end, a youth policy promotion system was established, and the SE7EN-UP youth policy was prepared, dividing youth life areas into three fields: ‘Living, Activities, Participation’, further subdivided into seven tasks, with a total of 68 youth projects organized across relevant departments.

Following the revision of the ‘Youth Basic Act’, which mandates the appointment of youth members to all government committees, Gumi City secured all 14 appointed members of the ‘Gumi City Youth Policy Committee’ as youth in May.

The ‘Youth Policy Participation Group’ was also greatly expanded to 152 members, reorganizing the participation system. The city continuously listened to youth opinions in areas closely related to city administration, such as planning meetings for Gumi Youth Day, monitoring representative festivals, and benchmarking youth spaces.

Youth who wish to inherit the Saemaul spirit also gathered. In September, the Gumi City Youth Saemaul Solidarity was launched with 140 members, wishing for a new leap of the Saemaul Movement.

◆ Various Projects Conducted in 2023 for Comprehensive Youth Policy

Among youth policies, projects addressing employment issues accounted for the largest portion. Through the regular employee project for SMEs, Gumi-type future strategic industry youth job support project, and Gyeongbuk Province’s main industry youth job support project, a total of 125 companies and 188 young people were matched.

To nurture young entrepreneurs who will drive the local economy, youth startup support, preliminary youth startup support projects, youth startup regional settlement support projects, and makerspace operations were conducted. Through these, specialized startup education was provided, and over 2,000 young people were supported in their entrepreneurial activities with one-on-one guidance.

Youth who have not completed their studies received academic encouragement grants for transfer students, with a total of 679 people benefiting up to 200,000 KRW. To help young people secure housing, the youth jeonse deposit return guarantee fee support project and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport’s temporary youth monthly rent special support project supported a total of 1,610 people (ranked 4th nationwide).

For young people exhausted by job concerns, the youth mental health support project provided customized services to 220 people. Youth activity infrastructure was also strengthened with the opening of ‘Youth Imagination Maru’ at Geumo Market in November, supporting the creative activities of 12 artists, and the opening of the Gumi Video Media Center, the first in Gyeongbuk, expanding cultural experience opportunities for youth and citizens.

On Youth Day, the 1st Youth Day commemorative event ‘Gumi Young Playground’ was held, with about 1,500 participants including youth CEOs and merchants from Geuridan-gil, contributing to revitalizing the local commercial district. Along with the 2023 Gumi Ramen Festival, the ‘Culture for Youth Festival’, part of the urban regeneration project, was also held.

◆ Attracting National Youth Projects, Securing 1.7 Billion KRW in National Funds

The city aggressively responded to central government contests, securing national funds of 1.7 billion KRW for three projects. In January, it was selected for the Ministry of Employment and Labor’s ‘Youth Challenge Support Project’, investing 800 million KRW in employment education programs for about 160 young people who had given up job searching.

Gumi Station is expected to become a hub for youth growth throughout their life cycle. The first floor will be developed into a ‘Complex Cultural Hub Space Ground9’ using 500 million KRW in national funds secured through the Ministry of the Interior and Safety’s ‘Hometown Olrae Public Contest Project’, creating a youth activity support center, Gumi Welcome Center, tourist information office, and souvenir shop.

The second floor will be developed into a marriage-themed book caf? and small wedding facility rental, along with life cycle policy guidance services through the ‘Marriage Story Creation Project’, investing 400 million KRW in national funds secured through the Ministry of the Interior and Safety’s ‘Local Government Low Birthrate Response Public Contest Project’.

◆ 2024: The Year to Complete Youth Hubs, Expanding Participation Programs

This year, the city will align with the government’s promotion plan and draw a blueprint through the 2024?2028 Gumi City Youth Policy Basic Plan, aiming for designation as a youth-friendly city.

Through the ‘Gumi City Youth Monthly Rent Support Project’, which expands the support scope beyond the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport’s project, the city will rescue young people excluded from support, and will continue to promote the government’s ‘2024 Youth Challenge Support Project’. To increase the perceived impact of youth policies, a new project, ‘Youth Unemployed Support Project’, will be organized reflecting the opinions of the Youth Policy Participation Group.

To provide jobs that allow youth to stay in the region, the city will nurture talent in advanced industries such as semiconductors and defense in collaboration with local universities through the ‘Regional Industry Talent Development Project’ and the ‘Higher Vocational Education Hub District (HIVE) Project’.

Participation will also be expanded by providing opportunities for youth to discover and promote projects through the ‘Gumi Young Energy Project’. The Gumi Young Energy Project is operated with 100 million KRW from hometown love donations, meaningfully using hometown donations for youth regional activities.

The city plans to actively promote youth policies by continuously operating its own SNS account ‘Gumi Young’ to provide extensive policies and information tailored to Gumi youth.

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