Gangjin-gun Listens to Youth Voices to Overcome Population Extinction Crisis

Youth Policy Council 2022 First Half Regular General Meeting Held

[Gangjin=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Yong-su] Gangjin-gun, Jeollanam-do, listened to the opinions of young people to respond to the crisis of local extinction.

The county held the 2022 Gangjin-gun Youth Policy Council first half regular meeting on the 24th at Dasan Integrity Training Center.

This meeting was prepared to hear various thoughts and opinions of young people on how to respond to the local extinction crisis, as Gangjin-gun was designated as a population decline area by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety last year and began receiving local extinction response funds from this year.

At the meeting, the members expressed the opinion that there is a need for transportation cost support at the county level when young adults who find it difficult to own or drive a car travel to other regions for education or self-development purposes.

In addition, in-depth discussions about the region took place, including multifaceted in-depth surveys and requests for professional consulting firms to settle the floating population of Gangjin in the area.

Lee Tae-hoon, chairman of the Youth Policy Council, said, "Let's share opinions in various ways for the development of Gangjin and a better life for young people and strive to lead to results."

Lee Seung-ok, the county governor, said, "It is realistically very difficult to increase the population of Gangjin in a situation where the national population is decreasing, but I ask the members to work hard so that young people do not leave for other places and can settle in Gangjin and plan their future."

Meanwhile, the Youth Policy Council consists of 40 members in three divisions: agriculture, livestock and fisheries, and economy, who collect opinions and ideas from local youth residing in the area to reflect them in policies. It was formed in May 2020 and holds two regular general meetings and one divisional meeting per quarter annually.