Namyangju City Holds Career Special Lecture for Youth at Deokso High School

Shedding Light on Designing the Future with the Spirit of Jeong Yak-yong

On December 26, Namyangju City in Gyeonggi Province held a career special lecture for 750 first and second-year students at Deokso High School.

Joo Gwangdeok, Mayor of Namyangju City, is conducting a career special lecture for 750 first- and second-year students at Deokso High School on the 26th. Provided by Namyangju City

This special lecture, themed "A Time to Share Dreams and Hope with the Spirit of Jeong Yak-yong: Steps Toward Our Dreams," was organized to help young people understand the value of their dreams and proactively design their futures.

During the lecture, Mayor Joo Gwangdeok emphasized to the students the importance of self-belief and self-esteem, stating, "A life true to oneself begins with the mindset of considering oneself a precious being." He referenced the words of Buddha, "In heaven and on earth, I alone am honored," and the Bible verse, "You are the light of the world," to illustrate his point.

He also introduced Jeong Yak-yong as a forward-thinking philosopher who dedicated his life to learning and recording, noting that such practices serve as meaningful examples for realizing one’s dreams.

Mayor Joo shared, "What allowed me to overcome my impoverished childhood was nurturing the seeds of dreams in my heart, cheering for those dreams, and continuing to move forward without stopping." He added, "Just as Jeong Yak-yong expanded his thoughts and overcame hardships through writing even during his exile, if we make a habit of recording and continue to take small actions, we too can realize our dreams."

Students who attended the lecture commented, "I learned that Jeong Yak-yong is someone from whom we can learn a lot about putting dreams into action," and "I feel proud that the place where I live is imbued with the spirit of a great thinker."

Meanwhile, since last year, the city has been running career special lectures at 13 schools in the area, including Deokso High School. In 2026, Namyangju City plans to further expand a sustainable career education platform for future generations, creating an environment where students can independently explore career paths in various fields.