Mayor Kim Donggeun: "Experiences of Self-Directed Learning Are a Solid Foundation for Children's Lives"

Uijeongbu City Visits Gongbujemi Yeonguso as Part of "Into Everyday Life" Program
Exploring Educational Experiments in a Youth-Led Learning Space

On July 31, the city of Uijeongbu, Gyeonggi Province (Mayor Kim Donggeun), announced that on the previous day, it had visited “Gongbujemi Yeonguso” (Director Kim Yeonhwa), a complex cultural learning space located in Minrak-dong, as part of the “Into Everyday Life” program, which seeks to discover diverse policy ideas by visiting sites that directly impact citizens’ lives.

Mayor Donggeun Kim visited Gongbujami Research Institute on the 30th as part of the "Into the Lives of the People" initiative, communicating with CEO Yeonhwa Kim. Provided by Uijeongbu City

This visit was organized to explore the potential application of a local model that combines educational experiments utilizing citizen resources with cultural elements into municipal administration.

Gongbujemi Yeonguso is an open learning center designed for youth to independently choose and explore their own learning topics, allowing them to develop problem-solving skills according to their individual interests. Last year, students carried out a project to design and produce goods that reflect the unique characteristics of Uijeongbu and distributed them to local libraries. This project was further supported by the Uijeongbu Cultural Foundation’s “1 Million Won Laboratory” initiative. It is now regarded as a leading example of youth-driven cultural planning.

On site, Mayor Kim Donggeun discussed the importance of self-directed learning environments and shared ideas on how to connect the region’s various assets with educational opportunities.

One student who was studying at the site commented, “In the past, I struggled because I didn’t know how to study, but now I find the process of doing homework or learning new things increasingly interesting.”

Director Kim Yeonhwa stated, “Children’s energy and curiosity are limitless,” and added, “Here, teachers are not simply transmitters of knowledge, but partners who help students solve questions that arise as they study.”

Mayor Kim Donggeun encouraged the students, saying, “Having an adult nearby who believes in your potential is a great source of strength for young people. The experience of finding your own methods and putting them into practice as the main agent of your learning will serve as a solid foundation for your future.”

Gongbujemi Yeonguso goes beyond being just a learning space; it also operates “Jigu Chaekbang,” a space where any citizen can freely explore books and communicate with others. This space is run as an unmanned bookstore, and along with book clubs, the “Byeolbyeol Sangjeom” corner features handmade yarn crafts and goods representing Uijeongbu.