Dongdaemun-gu, a "Youth Leap City," Invests 8 Billion Won to Brighten Youth's Future

Collaboration with Businesses and Universities to Foster Youth Independence and Growth
Promoting Three Key Areas: Employment Competency Enhancement, Youth Entrepreneurship Support, and Fostering a Participatory Culture

Dongdaemun-gu Mayor Ilhyeong Lee Visits the Site of the Youth Challenge Support Project 'Meeting with Incumbents'

Dongdaemun-gu (District Mayor Lee Pil-hyung) announced on the 12th that it will pursue various policies for youth this year under the new vision of ‘Youth Leap City Dongdaemun.’

This policy, with a total budget of 8.0513 billion KRW, focuses on expanding practical opportunities for young people to challenge themselves and achieve success in Dongdaemun. The policies are broadly divided into three areas.

The first area is ‘Employment Competency Enhancement.’ The district operates youth job support projects to increase young people’s employment competitiveness, providing one-on-one employment consulting and academies for vocational high school students. Through the ‘Youth Employment Qualification Acquisition Support’ project, it supports up to 200,000 KRW for certification exam fees and textbook purchases.

Additionally, the ‘Youth Life Academy’ offers education necessary for daily life, such as financial management, self-defense, home repair, and mental health, to establish a foundation for youth independence. To help young people gain practical experience in the public sector, the ‘Youth Administrative Intern’ program will be operated to strengthen job skills.

Visit to the Youth Employment Academy Dongdaemun Campus

Through the ‘Youth Challenge Support Project,’ selected by the Ministry of Employment and Labor’s public contest, customized programs will be provided for long-term job seekers or those who have given up job searching, helping them regain confidence and increase their motivation for employment. The ‘Youth Employment Academy Dongdaemun Campus’ will also provide a stepping stone for creative talents to grow through new technology vocational education such as IT and software.

The second area is youth entrepreneurship support. Centered around the ‘DDM Youth Startup Center Unicorn,’ established in 2023, and the ‘Hwikyung-dong Startup Support Center,’ scheduled to open in the second half of 2025, the district will operate step-by-step customized programs from verifying startup ideas to attracting investment.

The ‘Campus Town Development Project’ will be solidly promoted to activate industry-academia cooperation programs linked with universities and startup competitions. This will support young people dreaming of entrepreneurship to grow steadily.

The third area is fostering a participatory culture. The youth autonomous organization ‘Dongcheongnet’ will be operated to allow young people to propose and implement policies directly, providing opportunities to actively reflect their voices. A ‘Youth Week Event’ will be held to create a venue where young people can share ideas and experiences and interact with experts from various fields.

Cooperative projects will be promoted with three local universities?Kyung Hee University, University of Seoul, and Hankuk University of Foreign Studies?to support young people in conducting projects, actively exchanging ideas, and creating new cultures. The district’s representative youth space, ‘Seoul Youth Center Dongdaemun,’ functions as a communication hub for youth, offering comprehensive counseling and information on jobs, housing, culture, and overall daily life.

This youth policy is characterized by cooperation among various entities, including the district office, businesses, universities, and civil society. Through this, efforts are being made to actively reflect young people’s voices and provide practical assistance.

Lee Pil-hyung, Mayor of Dongdaemun-gu, stated, “Dongdaemun is a region proud of its history and tradition while also brimming with youthful creativity. We will actively support not only employment and startup assistance but also expand cultural and participatory opportunities so that young people can live more enjoyable and meaningful lives.”

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