[Column] A National Youth Training Center Embracing the Future of Gyeongsangnam-do's Youth

An Urgent Task to Address Seoul-Centric Imbalances
and Foster Local Talent Development

Adolescence is the most crucial period in a person's life for the formation of values and dreams. The environment and experiences provided during this time not only shape an individual's life but also determine the future competitiveness of a region.

Currently, there are only six national youth training centers in South Korea, located in Gangwon, Chungnam, Jeonbuk, Jeonnam, Gyeongbuk, and Busan. Gyeongsangnam-do remains the only metropolitan government without a single national youth training center. This is far from ideal, especially considering that Gyeongnam has the third-largest youth population in the country.

Recently, the Presidential Committee on National Policy Planning officially included support for the establishment of a National Youth Training Center in Gyeongnam in its draft five-year national policy plan. This marks the first step toward realizing a long-held aspiration of Gyeongnam residents and the youth community.

However, if this plan remains only on paper, the dreams of youth will still have a long way to go. The government must move this project into concrete action as soon as possible. Only when budget allocation, site selection, design, and groundbreaking proceed without delay will the future of Gyeongnam's youth truly brighten.

The Gyeongnam National Youth Training Center is planned to be built on a site of approximately 55,000 square meters, with facilities covering 15,000 square meters and accommodations for about 200 people. The total project cost is expected to be around 49 billion won. Rather than being a simple accommodation facility, it is envisioned as an open, multi-purpose space for hands-on experiences and education.

Gyeongnam is a region where key national industries such as aerospace, AI and IT, robotics, shipbuilding, energy, defense, medical and life sciences, and smart manufacturing are concentrated. If these industrial foundations are actively linked, the training center will become a forward base for youth career education tailored to the Fourth Industrial Revolution era.

Currently, each national youth training center across the country operates with its own specialized theme.

Pyeongchang focuses on forest and adventure activities; the Space Center offers aerospace experiences; the Bio Life Center specializes in agricultural life sciences; the Marine Center provides water activities; the Future Environment Center focuses on environmental education; the Ecology Center offers wetland experiences; and the Central Youth Training Center is dedicated to leadership training.

However, most of these centers are centered on nature and ecology programs, and not a single one offers career experience facilities based on future industries.

The vision for the Gyeongnam training center is to provide a space where youth can pilot drones, design robots, and tackle future challenges using AI. This is the vision Gyeongnam has for its youth training center. It will go beyond simple experiences to become a cradle for nurturing future talent linked to local industries, offering young people the opportunity to dream of the world without leaving Gyeongnam.

Once this facility is completed, the outflow of Gyeongnam's youth to other regions will noticeably decrease. Career exploration, which previously led to the Seoul metropolitan area, will instead circulate within the region, establishing a local talent ecosystem that connects industry sites, schools, and companies. Additionally, by opening the facility to families, it is expected to boost local tourism and revitalize the regional economy.

The quality of life for youth is determined not by material wealth, but by the fairness of opportunities. Currently, young people in Gyeongnam must travel to other regions to participate in national training center programs. This is not a matter of distance, but an imbalance of opportunity and educational inequality.

The establishment of the Gyeongnam National Youth Training Center is not a choice, but a mission of the times. The government must act swiftly so that the children of Gyeongnam do not envy the lights of unfamiliar cities, but can confidently plan their futures in their hometown.

We earnestly hope for the day when the light of hope shines in the eyes of our youth and brightens the night sky of Gyeongnam.