A Complete Turnaround for Village Halls: Yecheon’s Transformation

Lifelong Learning Is Rewriting Everyday Life

The landscape of village halls throughout Yecheon County has changed completely compared to a decade ago. Spaces that once hosted janggi boards and tables for drinks have now been transformed into venues for learning and culture. This shift, now embedded in the daily lives of residents, is seen as the result of Yecheon County’s persistent lifelong learning policies.

Kim Hakdong, Mayor of Yecheon County, visits the renovated village hall and observes students at the transformed Yecheon Youth Nest Learning Center.

The number of lifelong learning courses in Yecheon County has expanded more than threefold, from 211 in 2017 to 656 in 2025.

The budget has increased to 4.8 billion won, and annual participation has reached approximately 43,000 people. This is not merely a quantitative expansion of programs, but a structural transformation in which the entire county is being reorganized into a learning ecosystem.

In particular, the range of educational targets has broadened significantly. In 2017, most programs focused on general residents, such as classes for seniors, singing classes, and health and fitness. Now, there are 295 programs for general residents (13,873 participants), 115 for children and youth (4,940 participants), 67 for families (16,910 participants), and 59 for women (2,153 participants), evolving into a system that encompasses all generations. Lifelong learning is no longer an activity confined to a specific age group, but has become a regional infrastructure where generations grow together.

Since the launch of the Yecheon Cultural Tourism Foundation, the scope of lifelong learning has expanded further into culture, tourism, and industry, with active programs such as the Cultural Specialization Area Project and the Tourism DMO Project.

In particular, programs linked to local industries, such as training to enhance the capabilities of tourism service workers, have accelerated, creating a virtuous cycle where learning leads to the revitalization of the local economy.

The changes are even more vivid in the daily lives of residents. At the "2025 Yecheon Archery Festival & Agricultural Products Festival," the lifelong learning club showcase featured participation from clubs in 10 towns and townships and over 200 residents, presenting the achievements accumulated so far.

In the Gaepo district, a resident art exhibition was held, displaying more than 70 works including calligraphy, paintings, photographs, and crafts, which received enthusiastic responses from both locals and those who have moved away. The sight of ordinary residents growing beyond learners into creators highlights the cultural transformation taking place in Yecheon.

Senior centers and village halls, once limited to conversation and leisure, have now been reborn as everyday learning spaces offering health management and experiential education. Residents are finding renewed vitality in their daily lives through learning and interaction, and the sense of community is being strengthened in the process.

The transformation in Yecheon County is significant not simply as a program achievement, but as a new model in which the entire region functions as a learning city. By bringing learning into residents’ living spaces, the county is establishing a comprehensive foundation for growth that encompasses education, culture, tourism, and industry.

Kim Hakdong, Mayor of Yecheon County, stated, "Lifelong learning is the most effective driver of change in residents’ lives. We will continue to expand environments where all generations can access the learning they desire close to home, firmly establishing Yecheon as a city where people learn and grow together."

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