Sunchang County Launches "Youth Statistics" Development Covering Six Areas Including Health

Utilizing Foundational Data for Policy-Making
Aiming for Official Publication by the End of December

On June 12, Sunchang County in North Jeolla Province announced that it has officially begun developing "youth statistics," which will serve as foundational data for formulating policies to improve the quality of life for local youth.

This statistical project is part of the county's first-ever regional specialized statistics initiative being implemented this year, with the goal of publishing the results by the end of December.

Exterior view of Sunchang County Office. Provided by Sunchang County

The county recognized the need for policy-making based on accurate statistics and, since last year, has been working with Statistics Korea to conduct preliminary consultations for the development of regional specialized statistics.

As a result, the county decided to focus on the "youth period," during which the quality of economic and social life is determined through education and entry into or retention in the labor market. The county ultimately finalized the development of regional statistics targeting the youth population.

The youth statistics will be compiled using an "administrative (processed) statistics" method, which involves linking and processing various administrative data held by government agencies. The county plans to first select key indicators that can be practically used for policy-making, and to analyze the current status of youth life from multiple perspectives based on these indicators.

In April, the county signed a business agreement with the Honam Regional Statistics Office and, through a working-level council, completed the selection of a total of 79 indicators across six categories: population, economy, employment, entrepreneurship, welfare, and health.

In addition, in accordance with the "Sunchang County Youth Development Basic Ordinance," the county plans to build statistical data targeting a broad range of youth?those aged 18 to 49 who are registered residents in the county as of the end of December 2024.

This statistical project is expected to serve as important foundational data for diagnosing the entire life cycle of local youth and for designing policy directions to improve their quality of life. It is also anticipated to become a valuable resource for communication and gathering opinions from the youth themselves.

Choi Youngil, the governor of Sunchang County, stated, "For the sustainable development of the region, it is essential to attract and retain a young population. Through the establishment of this youth statistics infrastructure, we will develop customized policies that meet the needs of young people and continuously expand various support measures to make Sunchang a place where everyone wants to stay."