Dobong-gu Mayor Owen Seok Listening to the Voices of Youth

Dobong-gu to Hold 3rd Relay Meetings with Local Youth on July 16
▲ Divided into Three Sections: Startups, Employment, and Music... Youth Share Their Impressions by Field
Over 100 Local Youth Including Mayor Oh Eon-seok, Young Entrepreneurs, and Youth Interns Participate

"I deeply empathize with the opinions of the youth. I will actively review the stories shared today with the young people and incorporate them into our policies. We will do our best to support the realization of the dreams of the youth."

Dobong-gu (District Mayor Oh Eon-seok) held a meeting between the district mayor and young people on July 16.

This meeting was organized to share the experiences and feelings of young people living in Dobong and to actively reflect their opinions in district administration.

On that day, Mayor Oh Eon-seok of Dobong-gu spent time communicating with local youth, walking together toward a better future. Mayor Oh is the youngest district mayor among Seoul's 25 autonomous districts and has been actively fostering an ecosystem for youth economic activities where young people can fully demonstrate their capabilities.

The meeting was divided into three sections?▲Startups ▲Employment ▲Music?to carefully listen to the impressions and interests of young people in each field.

First, at 2 p.m., there was a meeting with young entrepreneurs residing at the 'Dobong-gu Youth Startup Center.' Since its opening in April, the Youth Startup Center currently houses 20 youth startup companies. These companies actively interact with each other and are steadily expanding their businesses based on various startup support programs ranging from practical startup education to investment attraction. Within just three months of moving in, sales have increased to 1.05 billion KRW, and investment attraction has reached 110 million KRW, demonstrating the effectiveness of startup support through visible results.

During the meeting, young entrepreneurs shared their startup experiences and future plans, and Mayor Oh Eon-seok promised active support.

The young residents expressed their satisfaction, saying, "Although it has been a short period, thanks to Dobong-gu's active and diverse startup support, our sales have greatly increased. We are very satisfied to be able to freely expand our business areas."

After hearing the youth's 'startup' stories, the next essential topic of interest is 'employment.' From 3:30 p.m., a dialogue was held at the Jaunbong Hall in Dobong-gu Office with participants and officials of the 'Dobong-style Youth Internship' program.

The 'Dobong-style Youth Internship Program' consists of three types: 'Public Institution Internship,' 'Corporate Practical Internship,' and the 'Overseas Internship,' which was the first of its kind implemented by a Seoul autonomous district. This year, 19 young people participated.

The conversation included honest stories about the practical experiences of young workers starting their careers and the dreams they aim to achieve.

One overseas internship participant said, "When I tell people around me that I am going overseas for an internship supported by the district, they say, 'There is such a district?' and feel envious. I will work hard and become a senior who shares useful information with young people hoping for overseas employment," expressing their determination.

A company official who attended the meeting also praised the youth internship program, saying, "Youth interns supplement areas that existing staff cannot handle, and it is a mutually meaningful project that provides various opportunities to local youth. We receive a lot of help from interns who are talented and capable."

Finally, at 6 p.m., a meeting with young musicians was held at the 'OPCD Eum Studio.' The district established the 'OPCD Eum Studio' in Changdong to support youth self-realization and the revitalization of the arts, where local young musicians compose music. So far, about 1,000 young creators have exchanged musical activities there.

Before the meeting started, there was a performance by young creators. Afterwards, discussions continued on opportunities for young musicians to engage in music activities and ways to fully showcase their artistic skills.

The young musicians said, "Dobong-gu is the only district that generously supports young musicians through various exchange programs held at OPCD," and suggested, "It would be great if a beatbox competition could be held in Dobong-gu."

Mayor Oh, who has personal experience in music, empathized with the young musicians of Dobong-gu and engaged in deep conversations. 'Wing,' the nation's top beatboxer, also attended the meeting and shared stories of growth supported by Dobong-gu, elevating the atmosphere of the meeting.

In response, Mayor Oh Eon-seok expressed his commitment to unwavering support for young musicians in Dobong-gu and had an open communication session.

Mayor Oh Eon-seok of Dobong-gu said, "To enhance the practical effectiveness of youth policies, it is essential to include the opinions of the youth, who are the policy consumers, in the policy-making process. We will continue to listen to the voices of young people, develop policies from their perspective, and ultimately create a Dobong where young people can truly feel it is a good place to live."