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On April 24, Boeun County in North Chungcheong Province announced that it had convened the first meeting of the Youth Growth Support Council at the Boeun County Youth Center and formally launched full-scale activities.
The council is a public-private-academic partnership led by youth. It was established after Boeun was selected for the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family’s 2024 grant program, the “Youth Growth Support Project for Population-Declining Areas.” In 2025, Boeun County was further honored with the ministry’s Minister’s Award for its project, recognizing its strong results.
At the meeting, Lee Ok-soon, head of the Resident Happiness Division, presented letters of appointment to new members. Youth council members drew attention by participating as equals alongside adult members in the decision-making process. The council will operate as a participatory governance body that integrates young people’s real needs into policy and empowers them to design their own growth environment.
Key agenda items at the inaugural meeting included energizing dedicated youth-only free spaces, developing self-directed programs that leverage local resources, and designing region-specific programs that reflect Boeun’s distinct character. Youth members actively voiced their views and helped steer the development of practical, effective policies.
“The Youth Growth Support Council provides a direct channel for young people’s voices to be reflected in policy,” Lee said. “We will continue to support youth so they can envision Boeun’s future as full members of the community.”
The council plans to pair regular meetings with an on-call advisory system centered on youth members to construct a step-by-step model of “Boeun-style” youth policy. This approach aims to give young people the foundation to grow as community leaders and create opportunities for them to contribute to local development.
Boeun—Lee Hyun-seung, reporter bpda@viva100.com
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