Daejeon Launches 'Youth Special City of Work, Housing and Leisure' Initiative, to Supply 5,000 Youth Housing Units

[Financial News Daejeon = Reporter Kim Won-jun] Daejeon Metropolitan City is launching a comprehensive policy initiative to create a 'Youth Special City of Work, Housing and Leisure' that encompasses jobs, housing and cultural life for young people.
 According to Daejeon Metropolitan City on the 29th, the city will pursue detailed measures to dramatically improve young people's living conditions, beginning with the operation of the Daejeon Youth Council, a youth-led policy participation body. The measures include expanding local-talent hiring at public institutions, supplying 5,000 units of youth housing and supporting asset building.

 The recruitment of the First Daejeon Youth Council, through which young people will directly propose and evaluate policies, is drawing the most attention.
 Recruitment for the Daejeon Youth Council began on the 21st, and the number of applicants has exceeded 300, resulting in an average competition ratio of three to one. To ensure fairness and representativeness, Daejeon Metropolitan City plans to select the final council members at the end of next month through a randomized, stratified lottery system that considers the youth population ratio and gender distribution of each district.
 Specific support measures for young people's economic independence and housing stability have also taken shape. A total of 5,000 high-quality youth housing units will be supplied in areas with strong transportation and living infrastructure, including 1,800 Dagaon units, 1,500 purchase-rental units and 1,700 publicly supported private-rental units. In addition, the eligibility requirements for the Future Double Youth Account will be eased, while newlywed couples will receive a marriage encouragement grant of 3 million won per household, the highest level among metropolitan local governments, to help young people settle in the region.

 Building an employment and startup ecosystem is another key pillar. Daejeon Metropolitan City has set a goal of creating 2,921 youth jobs and nurturing 1,000 youth startups by establishing the Daejeon Youth Integrated Job Platform, which will connect companies with talent through an artificial intelligence (AI)-based matching system.
 Some of the youth rental housing units in Startup Park in the Gung-dong area of Yuseong District will be allocated exclusively to founders, with recruitment of residents scheduled for later this year. The mandatory local-talent hiring rate at public institutions in the Chungcheong region will also be raised from 33.36% in 2021 to a level approaching 50%.

 In addition, the Daejeon Youth Future Center, which will open next month, will identify young people in crisis, including isolated and withdrawn youth and young people caring for family members. It will provide one-stop support ranging from counseling to follow-up management, helping address gaps in the welfare system.
 Daejeon Metropolitan City's policy initiative is a proactive response by a regional metropolis seeking to attract and retain young people at a time when the outflow of youth to the Seoul metropolitan area is cited as a major cause of regional extinction. Daejeon is close to the capital region and has a strong base of young talent, including the Daedeok R&D Special Zone. However, the outflow of research and industrial personnel to other regions after graduation has long been identified as a challenge.
 A Daejeon Metropolitan City official said, "The key is to expand practical, tangible policies across multiple areas, including jobs, housing, a fulfilling life and participation in city administration—the things young people need most in their daily lives." The official added, "We will increase young people's participation in city administration and provide a solid foundation for self-reliance to complete Daejeon as a sustainable Youth Special City."

[email protected] Kim Won-jun Reporter