Oh Eon-seok, Dobong-gu Mayor, Presents 'Youth Policy' as Korean Representative at Korea-China-Japan Friendship Exchange Meeting

As South Korea's representative, presenting key youth issues and policies under the theme 'Youth Exchange Among Korea, China, and Japan Looking Toward Future Generations'... Sharing future visions and strengthening cooperation with various countries and local governments including Changping District in Beijing, China, Yamanashi Prefecture, and Wako City in Saitama Prefecture, Japan

Dobong-gu elevated the status of Korean local governments by presenting youth policies as the Korean representative at an international conference attended by over 500 local government officials from Korea, China, and Japan.

Dobong-gu (Mayor Oh Eon-seok) presented key youth issues and policies under the theme of “Korea-China-Japan Youth Exchange Looking Toward Future Generations” at the 24th Korea-China-Japan Local Government Exchange Conference held on the 17th at the Royal Hotel Yatsugatake in Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan.

Hosted by the General Incorporated Foundation Local Government Internationalization Association (Japan) and Yamanashi Prefecture, this conference featured various discussions and activities under the theme “Community Building Looking Toward the Future of Korea-China-Japan Local Governments.”

Mayor Oh Eon-seok of Dobong-gu introduced four youth policies under the vision of “Realizing a Stable and Happy City Growing Together with Youth”: ▲ Activities and Participation ▲ Protection and Cooperation ▲ Regional Specialization ▲ International Exchange.

Attendees from China and Japan paid special attention to Dobong-gu’s youth participatory budgeting system and the Children and Youth Assembly. They highly praised these as “innovative projects supporting the proactive participation of youth,” referring to the participatory budgeting system where youth propose projects, apply for budgets, and make decisions themselves, and the Children and Youth Assembly which directly votes on selected projects.

At both the beginning and end of his presentation, Mayor Oh likened youth to “koi fish,” whose size varies depending on their environment, emphasizing that local governments must fulfill their roles to help youth, the future leaders, grow bigger. This metaphor received strong positive responses from the attendees.

Along with presenting youth policies, Dobong-gu successfully promoted its policies and projects for future generations and regional development at the international conference by introducing the Dobong-gu Breaking Dance Team, the sock industry, Dobongsan Mountain, and the groundbreaking of Seoul Arena.

Furthermore, Dobong-gu strengthened cooperative relationships with several local governments, including its sister cities Changping District, Beijing, China (Vice District Mayor Guo Qingyao), Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan (Governor Nagasaki Kotaro), and Saitama Prefecture, Japan (Mayor Shibasaki Mitsuko of Wako City), clearly presenting a vision for the future.