"Which Neighborhood in Seoul?"... 'Up to 500,000 Won Given for Obtaining National Certification'

Support Project for Job-Seeking Activities for Unemployed Youth Aged 19 to 39
Dongjak-gu to Provide Up to 100,000 KRW for Exam Fees Covering 916 Types of Tests

Dongjak-gu, Seoul (Mayor Park Il-ha) will provide up to 500,000 KRW in local love gift certificates as a congratulatory payment to young people who have obtained national certifications.

On the 17th, Dongjak-gu announced plans to expand the "2025 Dongjak Youth Job-Seeking Activity Support Project" to ease the financial burden of job-seeking activities for unemployed youth and motivate them to find employment, including congratulatory payments for certification acquisition and exam fee support.

Park Il-ha, Mayor of Dongjak-gu, delivering a greeting at the "Youth Employment Competency Enhancement Special Lecture" held at the Noryangjin Youth Job Center in July last year. Provided by Dongjak-gu.

This project targets unemployed youth aged 19 to 39 residing in the district. While other local governments also support language and certification exam fees, Dongjak-gu is the only place nationwide that provides congratulatory payments for obtaining national certifications.

The congratulatory payment for obtaining a national certification is provided once per person, with amounts varying up to 500,000 KRW in Dongjak Love Gift Certificates depending on the type and difficulty of the certification. If a participant who has already received a congratulatory payment obtains a higher-level certification, the difference excluding the previously supported amount will be paid.

Additionally, this year, the district will support exam fees for national certifications and others for local youth up to 100,000 KRW without any limit on the number of times. Last year, the district provided approximately 160 million KRW in support funds to a total of 1,575 youth, offering practical help in preparing for employment.

To support more youth this year, the district increased the number of beneficiaries from 800 to 1,700 and expanded the types of exams to 916, reflecting participants' demands. Supported fields include 31 language tests such as the Korean History Proficiency Test, TOEIC, Snult, and OPIC; 540 national technical certifications; 248 national professional certifications; and 96 nationally accredited private certifications.

The application process has also been improved from a step-by-step application to a one-stop method to enhance convenience for participants. Youth wishing to apply can sign up on the Noryangjin Youth Job Center website and submit related documents such as the certificate of acquisition (or exam confirmation) and exam fee payment receipts starting from the 22nd of this month.

Mayor Park Il-ha said, "We will spare no support to encourage the job-seeking activities of local youth and enhance their competitiveness in the job market," adding, "We will continue to implement various policies to make Dongjak-gu a place where young people want to stay."