Geochang County Selected for the 2025 Youth Village Creation Project Hosted by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety

From Youth-Friendly City to Youth Village
Geochang County Achieves Two Consecutive Successes in Youth Policy!

On April 23, Geochang County in South Gyeongsang Province announced that it had been finally selected for the "2025 Youth Village Creation Project" hosted by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety. The county stated that this achievement would further strengthen its efforts to become "Geochang where youth are happy, and Geochang that is happy because of its youth."

This project received applications from 150 youth organizations nationwide. After a three-stage evaluation process?document review, on-site inspection, and presentation?12 organizations across the country were ultimately selected. Geochang County, which was designated this year as "Korea's first triple youth-friendly city," has now made the tangible results of its sustainable youth policies even more visible, as the local youth organization "Deogyusan Gorani-deul" was chosen for the Youth Village Project.

Deogyusan Gorani-deul is a youth organization composed of 10 young farmers who cultivate a variety of crops, including strawberries, apples, and wild ginseng. Based throughout Geochang County, they have been actively engaged in community activities. Their role extends beyond simple agricultural production; they have served as a platform for experimenting with the potential of youth agriculture by continuously communicating and collaborating with local government and residents, thereby revitalizing the region.

Group photo of the final selected organizations for the 2025 Youth Village Creation Project hosted by Geochang County Administration.

The name "Deogyusan Gorani-deul" carries special meaning. Inspired by the fact that 90% of the world’s water deer population lives on the Korean Peninsula, the group’s name embodies the hope that, like water deer, youth will flourish throughout Korea and in local communities. It also reflects the belief that young people can settle in the region and realize new possibilities, as well as the determination that local communities can be revitalized together with youth.

Through this Youth Village Project, the group plans to operate a practical agricultural and entrepreneurial program called "Gorani Walk and Run (Wark & Run)." Over the three years from 2025 to 2027, they will receive a total of 600 million won in national funding. This support will help young people experiment with new ways of living and settle in rural areas, fostering a model in which rural communities and youth can coexist.

Geochang County provided comprehensive administrative support throughout the entire process?from project preparation to on-site inspections and presentation evaluations?by working closely with the youth organization. This included securing spaces, offering budget support, and providing expert consulting.

County Governor Koo Inmo stated, "Being selected for this Youth Village Project is a valuable achievement accomplished together by our youth and the local community. We will continue to communicate and cooperate with young people to make Geochang a youth-friendly city?a city where young people want to live, a city to which they return, and a city where they can envision their future."

With its designation as a youth-friendly city and now its selection for the Youth Village Project, Geochang County is expected to present a new exemplary model for youth policy, further strengthening and enhancing its brand image as Korea’s first triple youth-friendly city.