Hwaseong to Hold "Hwaseong-type Basic Society Policy Contest" ... Seeking Citizen Ideas
by Lee jonggu
Published 17 Apr.2026 10:05(KST)
Applications Accepted from April 20 to May 8
Total Prize Pool of 8 Million Won
Open to All Citizens
Hwaseong Special City in Gyeonggi Province announced on the 17th that it will hold the "2026 Hwaseong-type Basic Society Policy Contest" to expand the foundation for citizen participation and discover practical basic society policies.
The contest will accept applications from April 20 to May 8, and any citizen interested in basic society policies is eligible to participate. In particular, this year, the city plans to further enhance both the professionalism and diversity of policy proposals by dividing the contest into two separate categories: general citizens and public officials.
The total prize money amounts to 8 million won, with 3 million won awarded to the grand prize winner (1st place).
The contest covers 10 areas: basic income, finance, housing, transportation, safety, healthcare, care, education, culture, and the social solidarity economy. Participants are encouraged to freely propose policy ideas that encompass all aspects of civic life.
Hwaseong Special City will focus the evaluation not only on the creativity of the ideas but also on their potential for actual policy implementation. Proposals will go through a multi-stage review based on key criteria such as public interest, timeliness, and feasibility. Outstanding proposals will be selected, and the winning ideas will be actively incorporated into city policies.
This contest is particularly meaningful as it aims to materialize the policy philosophy of a "basic society" together with citizens, allowing policy recipients themselves to participate directly in the policy design process.
Son Seyoung, Head of the Basic Society Division, stated, "A basic society should not remain a mere declaration but must be realized through policies in citizens' daily lives. We will actively support the transformation of citizens' ideas, who best understand the issues on the ground, into actual policies."
With this contest as a starting point, the city plans to strengthen its citizen participation policy platform and develop a "Hwaseong-type Basic Society Model" that can be expanded nationwide, based on outstanding cases discovered through the contest.
Meanwhile, applications may be submitted by mail or email, and further details can be found on the official Hwaseong Special City website.
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