Gwangjin-gu to Invest 13.6 Billion Won This Year to Create Youth Jobs and Establish Youth Policies

Five Areas: Participation Communication, Independence, Health, Culture & Sports, Jobs with 47 Projects
13.6 Billion KRW Invested in Youth Portal, Youth Tomorrow Savings Account, Mental Health Counseling, etc.
New Projects Including University Students' 1,000 KRW Breakfast, Youth Policy Guide, Lifelong Education Vouchers

Gwangjin-gu (District Mayor Kim Kyung-ho) announced that it will implement the ‘2024 Gwangjin-gu Youth Policy’ to systematically support the independence and healthy lives of young people.

According to resident registration statistics, as of January 2024, the youth population in Gwangjin-gu aged between 19 and 39 is 116,576, accounting for 34.7 percent of the total population of 333,554.

This figure is about 4 percentage points higher than the Seoul city average of 30.5 percent.

Accordingly, the district has prepared comprehensive support measures covering all aspects of youth life, including housing, welfare, economy, and culture, with a budget of 13.6 billion KRW this year.

The district will promote a total of 47 projects across five areas: ▲participation and communication ▲building a foundation for independence ▲health ▲culture, sports, and education ▲jobs and economy, to provide practical help to young people.

First, the ‘Youth Portal’ on the Gwangjin-gu Office website has been improved to allow youth policies to be viewed at a glance. A youth job board has been newly established to provide customized job information for young people. Participation and communication among youth will be strengthened through youth networks and youth center operations.

Additionally, the district supports youth independence. The ‘Youth Tomorrow Savings Account’ will be implemented, providing monthly savings of 100,000 to 300,000 KRW for working youth with a median income of 100% or less. Independence allowances of up to 700,000 KRW per month will be paid for up to 60 months to youth preparing for independence (children aging out of care).

A temporary special support project for youth monthly rent will also be promoted. It provides up to 2.4 million KRW in support for non-homeowning youth aged 19 to 34 who live separately from their parents.

The target group is youth independent households with a median income of 60% or less, based on the original household’s median income of 100% or less. Applications are possible if the rental deposit is 50 million KRW or less and the monthly rent is 700,000 KRW or less simultaneously.

The district also takes care of youth health. For university students who skip breakfast, the ‘1,000 KRW Breakfast’ support is provided, and vouchers are offered to connect youth needing psychological counseling with professional counseling institutions. For the increasing number of single-person youth households, ‘Baro-Yori Sets (meal kits)’ are provided, along with free health checkup support projects.

In the fields of culture, sports, and education, a ‘Youth Festival’ will be held mainly along Neungdong-ro, where many young people frequent. Planned together with local university students, it is expected to captivate the eyes and ears of the younger generation. The ‘Gwangjin-style Lifelong Education Voucher’ and the ‘Youth Customized Education Program’ operated by the ‘Seoul Youth Center Gwangjin’ will lead the bright future of youth who need growth.

Efforts will also be made to create jobs, the biggest concern for young people. Under the vision of ‘Gwangjin empowering youth, youth happy through work,’ 27 projects will be promoted in five key tasks: ▲work experience ▲capacity building ▲customized education ▲information provision ▲startup infrastructure. Existing projects such as the Youth Employment Academy operation, Gwangjin-style special loan support, Gwangjin Economic Hub Center operation, and youth job projects will be complemented by new projects including the Youth Challenge Support Project, Sejong University Campus Town Project, and Youth Entrepreneurs’ Night, creating a synergy effect in the district’s youth job policies.

Kim Kyung-ho, Mayor of Gwangjin-gu, said, “We have prepared youth policies to support the independence and happy lives of young people. In particular, the policies are filled with practical measures that help daily life, so we ask for much interest and participation,” adding, “We will continuously communicate and support the youth, the future of Gwangjin, so that they can thrive in all sectors of society.”