Gunpo City ranks among top five in Gyeonggi youth-friendly city evaluation

Gunpo City has been selected as one of the top five local governments in Gyeonggi Province’s ‘Youth-Friendly City’ evaluation for the second consecutive year. This recognition positions the city to compete for final designation by the Office for Government Policy Coordination, which would grant 500 million KRW in national funds and administrative consulting over two years.

Moving beyond traditional welfare models such as job creation or housing subsidies, Gunpo is implementing a ‘Youth Sovereignty’ model. This approach focuses on structural governance, allowing young people to participate directly in the proposal, decision-making, and feedback processes of local policy. Key initiatives include the establishment of the ‘Youth Sovereignty Office’ and the implementation of the ‘2nd Gunpo Youth Policy Basic Plan (2025–2029)’, which covers 47 tasks across five sectors: participation rights, jobs, housing, education/culture, and welfare.

Mayor Han Dae-hee stated that as the city undergoes significant urban restructuring, the goal is to transform Gunpo into a city where young people act as co-decision-makers in shaping the urban future.