Jinju City Council Holds "2025 1st Youth Model Council"

Youth Experience Local Council Activities
Fostering Qualities of Mature Democratic Citizens

Jinju City Council in South Gyeongsang Province announced on April 29 that it held the "2025 1st Youth Model Council" with students from Jinseong Elementary School in the council's main chamber.

The Youth Model Council is a program where young people conduct meetings themselves to understand the roles and functions of local councils, and to directly experience and feel the democratic decision-making process.

Twenty-six fifth and sixth grade students from Jinseong Elementary School took on roles such as council chair, city council members, mayor, and public officials, smoothly conducting the meeting.

Group photo of Jinju City Council's "2025 1st Youth Model Council".

After electing the chair through a vote, the students gave two-minute speeches on topics such as "Creating Safer Playgrounds for Children" and "The Need to Expand Bicycle Lanes." In addition, a draft ordinance on "Restricting Cell Phone Use in Schools" was introduced, followed by a debate for and against the proposal, and an electronic vote was held.

City council chair Baek Seunghung and other council members encouraged the students who came to learn about grassroots democracy by experiencing the entire process of a local council meeting.

Chair Baek said, "I hope today's experience will be a valuable opportunity for you to learn and feel the value of 'democracy' that drives our society," adding, "I support all of you in growing into mature democratic citizens."

In addition, Vice Chair Hwang Jinseon and council members Park Jongkyu, Jeong Yonghak, and Choi Minkook visited the event, urging the students to grow into healthy and upright individuals, and enriched the model council with a Q&A session on local council democracy.

Song Yeonwoo, the student elected as chair for the day, said, "It's fascinating that representatives of residents gather to address community issues. I was happy and proud to be able to easily experience the local council, which I didn't know much about before."