“Package support for jobs, housing and culture” ... Daejeon launches its “Special City for Youth” initiative in earnest

[Financial News, Daejeon = Kim Won-jun] Daejeon City is moving ahead with comprehensive policies to create “Daejeon, a Special City for Youth,” where young people can find jobs, secure stable housing and enjoy their everyday lives in the region.
 Daejeon Mayor Heo Tae-jeong held a city briefing at Daejeon City Hall on the morning of the 10th and said, “Rather than limiting youth policy to one-off support, we will build a practical system that enables young people to choose the region as their home, realize their potential and shape the future they want.” To that end, Daejeon City will pursue a package of policies spanning work, housing and leisure, including launching a youth council, a public-sector youth internship program, supplying 5,000 high-quality youth housing units, and providing Daejeon-style career and college admissions support.

 Daejeon City has formed and launched the first Daejeon Youth Council, enabling young people to go beyond being recipients of policy and directly propose policies and participate in decision-making. Based on issues young people experience in their daily lives, the council identifies and proposes policy initiatives, selects youth deliberative projects under the resident-participatory budgeting program after deliberation and review, and monitors the progress and outcomes of the selected projects. Daejeon City plans to identify and carry out pilot projects next year, and fully launch the youth deliberative projects from 2028.
 Daejeon City will also launch a public-sector youth internship program next year. It will offer up to six months of practical work experience to 100 unemployed young people aged 18–39 who either live in Daejeon or attend a university or graduate school there. Applications will open in January next year, participants will be selected in February, and the internships will begin in March. Moving beyond the traditional focus on simple office assistance, the program will offer work experience centered on roles and projects in a range of fields, including public relations and design, AI and data, and program planning and operations. The aim is to ensure that experience gained in the public sector does not remain a one-off career experience but translates into practical job skills.
 
 In housing, the city will increase the supply of youth housing from 3,000 units under the 7th popularly elected administration to 5,000, easing housing costs for young people and newlyweds and helping them settle in the region. From this year through 2034, it will invest a total of 548.9 billion won to supply 1,800 construction-based public rental units, 1,500 acquired public rental units and 1,700 publicly supported private rental units. The city plans to prioritize areas with good access to transportation and jobs, and improve convenience with housing types tailored to the needs of young people and newlyweds, as well as built-in appliances and furniture. However, securing funding and sites is likely to be crucial to keeping the housing supply on track. Public rentals carry significant construction and long-term operating costs, while sites are harder to secure in areas with good access, such as the old city center and areas near stations. 

Daejeon City will launch its “Daejeon-style Career and College Guidance Project” next year in response to changes in the educational environment, including revisions to college admissions for the 2028 academic year and the full implementation of the high school credit system. The initiative aims to narrow gaps in access to admissions information and reduce the burden of private education costs. It will supplement public education with the expertise of admissions specialists, introduce an AI-based analysis system, and expand eligibility from students enrolled at local schools to out-of-school youth, repeat test-takers and vulnerable groups. Key programs include a college admissions and career guidance fair offering consultations at university-specific booths and one-on-one personalized counseling, as well as one-on-one college admissions consultations using an AI-based career and college guidance analysis system.
 The “Future Double Youth Savings Account,” which helps employed young people build assets, matches participants’ savings: if they save 150,000 won a month for two years, the city contributes the same amount. The program began as the “Youth Hope Savings Account” under the 7th popularly elected administration. Reflecting feedback from young people, Daejeon City has allowed payment deferrals of up to eight months since this year and eased the eligibility requirement for young entrepreneurs, reducing the minimum business operating period from six months to three.
 Support for young people in crisis will also be strengthened. Daejeon City opened the Daejeon Youth Future Center on the 26th of last month and established an integrated support system for young people struggling with their studies or job preparations because of family caregiving responsibilities, as well as socially isolated and withdrawn young people.
 In the cultural sphere, the Youth Culture and Arts Pass will expand opportunities to enjoy the arts. The city currently provides 3,000 young people aged 19–20 with 200,000 won a year for cultural and arts events; starting next year, eligibility will expand to those aged 19–34 following changes to the government program. From 2028, Daejeon City plans to roll out a cultural voucher program that reflects local characteristics in stages, and connect Ontong Daejeon 2.0 with cultural businesses such as local bookstores, performance venues and exhibition spaces to promote both young people’s access to culture and the arts and the vitality of local businesses.
 Mayor Heo said, “We will continue to pursue policies that bring tangible changes to young people’s lives so they can plan a bright future in the region,” adding, “We will build Daejeon into a Special City for Youth, where young people’s challenges and growth become a new source of vitality for the city.”

[email protected] Kim Won-jun Reporter