18 New Members Appointed: "Reflecting Diverse Voices"
78 Billion Won Invested in Startups and More to Support Over 17,400 Young People
Kang Kijeong, mayor of Gwangju, is attending the 5th Youth Policy Coordination Committee meeting in the small conference room of the city hall on the afternoon of the 21st, delivering a greeting. Photo by Gwangju City
The 5th Gwangju Youth Policy Coordination Committee, which deliberates on and sets the direction for youth policies in Gwangju, has officially begun its activities.
On April 21, the city of Gwangju held the inaugural meeting of the 5th Youth Policy Coordination Committee in the small conference room at city hall, appointing new members composed of youth activists and experts, and deliberating and approving the 2025 youth job creation plan (draft).
The 5th committee consists of 25 members, including ex officio heads of departments such as the mayor of Gwangju, and 18 new members appointed following the expiration of the 4th committee's term. Lee Seungyun was elected as the new chairperson, and Lee Hyunnam as vice chairperson. Their terms will run for two years, until April 17, 2027.
The Gwangju Youth Policy Coordination Committee, established in 2016, is a youth policy deliberative body based on the Framework Act on Youth and the Gwangju Youth Ordinance. It gathers professional and diverse opinions from various sectors on youth policy, deliberates on youth policy, and sets its direction.
The "2025 Youth Job Creation Plan," deliberated and approved by the committee, will invest 78 billion won in five key areas: strengthening employment competencies, tailored job opportunities, support for youth entrepreneurship, promoting local settlement, and cooperation with related organizations. The plan aims to support job creation and the establishment of employment and entrepreneurship environments for more than 17,400 young people.
In particular, this year, the number of beneficiaries of the "Gwangju-Type Youth Job Subscription Program" will be expanded from 200 last year to 500. Under this program, if a young person employed as a regular worker at a small or medium-sized enterprise in Gwangju saves 5 million won, the company will contribute 2 million won and the city of Gwangju will add 3 million won, providing a total of 10 million won to the young employee. This is designed to encourage local settlement and long-term employment among Gwangju youth.
Additionally, to prevent job-seeking discouragement among unemployed youth and to help newly employed young people avoid career breaks early in their employment, the city will expand the operation of the Youth Job Station and workplace adaptation support projects, actively assisting youth in gaining employment.
Mayor Kang Kijeong stated, "The 5th Youth Policy Coordination Committee has newly launched to invigorate the lives of young people in areas such as employment, education, and culture. We will work closely with the committee to ensure that major youth policies in Gwangju, such as Youth Work Experience Dream and the Gwangju-Type Youth Job Subscription Program, truly benefit young people and become highly satisfactory initiatives."
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