Mayor Won Kangsoo Holds Press Conference: Preparing to Expand the "Dream Fulfillment Voucher" Policy
Nation's First Innovative Educational Welfare Program for All Elementary Grades, with an Annual Budget of 20 Billion Won
Dream Fulfillment Voucher Proven by 96.8% Satisfaction Rate: Boosting Children's Self-Esteem and Social Skills
Wonju City in Gangwon Province is preparing to significantly expand its "Dream Fulfillment Voucher" program, which supports arts and physical education activities for all elementary school students, as it enters its third year.
Won Kangsoo, mayor of Wonju, is holding a press conference in the city hall briefing room on the 18th. Photo by Wonju City
On September 18, Won Kangsoo, mayor of Wonju, held a press conference in the city hall briefing room and stated, "Since its launch in July 2023, the Dream Fulfillment Voucher has established itself as an innovative model for local education," adding, "We will create a comprehensive support system that extends students' dreams through their middle and high school career paths."
Launched in July 2023, the Dream Fulfillment Voucher is the nation's first fully free educational welfare program, providing 100,000 won per month, or 1.2 million won annually, to each elementary school student. According to an effectiveness analysis commissioned by the city, 95% of parents and 94.3% of students responded that their quality of life had improved, while 99.3% expressed their desire for the program to continue.
Notably, visible achievements have been made in a short period of time. A student who learned the cello for the first time won first place in an international competition, and a student's artwork was displayed at the National Assembly. The number of cultural and arts programs increased twelvefold, and career exploration programs expanded fourfold, greatly broadening students' choices.
Mayor Won stated that the city is preparing expansion policies that will connect the program beyond elementary school, extending into middle and high school as well as career development.
He explained, "To ensure that discovering children's talents leads not only to simple experiences but also to their future careers, we will sequentially implement follow-up projects such as ▲scholarship support for gifted students in the arts (Young Artist), ▲a one-on-one expert matching project (Dream Fulfillment Plus), and ▲participation in local festival stages (Dream Fulfillment Sharing)."
He also announced plans to build the "Dream Fulfillment Community Center," which was selected for support by the Ministry of Education.
This center, with a total investment of 25.6 billion won, is scheduled to open in 2029 and will feature a survival swimming pool, care support center, indoor gymnasium, and character education center. It will be developed as an integrated space for education, culture, and sports, accessible to all citizens. The center is expected to further expand the achievements of the Dream Fulfillment Voucher and become a comprehensive space where all citizens can benefit from educational, cultural, and sports opportunities.
Mayor Won emphasized, "Ahead of the Ministry of Health and Welfare's extension evaluation in 2026, we will demonstrate the sustainability of the program based on our achievements and citizen satisfaction to date," and called on citizens for their interest and participation, stating, "The dreams of our children will become the future of Wonju."
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