Suwon Has the Largest Young Adult Population in Gyeonggi Province...One in Three Provincial Residents Are Youth

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Park Noh-hoon] One month has passed since the 'Youth Basic Act' was enacted, and with its implementation scheduled for August, the Gyeonggi Research Institute has published 'Youth Basic Act: Where Should We Head?'

The 'Youth Basic Act,' enacted in February 2020, establishes the rights and responsibilities of youth, the duties of the national government and local autonomous entities toward youth, and prescribes basic matters concerning the establishment of youth policies and youth support.

The 'Youth Basic Act' was first proposed in 2014 and is the first comprehensive legislation on youth to be enacted. Most importantly, it appears to be an important catalyst for a policy shift, as it views youth not merely as objects of employment policy (the 'Special Act on Youth Employment Promotion' enacted in 2004), but as individuals with the right to lead happy lives.

Gyeonggi Province, which has a high proportion of youth compared to other local governments and the national average, has significant implications with the enactment of the 'Youth Basic Act.' One out of every three Gyeonggi residents (34%) are classified as youth, exceeding the national average (24%). By age group, those in their 30s account for 14.9%, those in their 20s for 13.4%, and those aged 15-19 for 5.7%.

The youth population by region shows 75.4% in southern Gyeonggi and 24.6% in northern Gyeonggi, with three out of four youth living in southern Gyeonggi. By municipality, Suwon has the largest youth population at 10% (450,000 people), followed by Goyang at 7.9% (350,000 people) and Yongin at 7.7% (340,000 people).

Gyeonggi Province enacted the 'Youth Basic Ordinance' (2015) prior to the 'Youth Basic Act' and has implemented it since 2016. In 2017, the province confirmed its basic youth policy plan and, recognizing youth issues as social structural problems, has been responding systematically at the metropolitan government level. In 2020, the province is pursuing 42 projects across five sectors as part of its youth policy.

Oh Jae-ho, Research Fellow at the Gyeonggi Research Institute, stated, "With the enactment of the 'Youth Basic Act,' the national government and local autonomous entities must move away from the industrialization-era perspective of viewing youth as labor forces and instead regard them as humans pursuing happiness, implementing policies accordingly." He added, "If youth do not remain merely as policy recipients but participate as planners alongside the government and local governments in the policy-making process, it will align with the ideals of the 'Youth Basic Act.'"

Improving legal and institutional frameworks and policy delivery systems to match conditions is also crucial. Local government ordinances need to be amended in accordance with provisions of the 'Youth Basic Act.' This includes clarifications regarding youth age definitions, linkages with the central government's basic plans, factual surveys and research, mandatory provisions for youth participation, and specifications on the proportion, roles, and qualifications of youth committee members in regional youth policy committees.

Oh further stated, "Metropolitan governments must connect central government youth policy directions with basic local governments and establish communication hubs at the regional level, including through online platforms." He added, "Youth should participate together in regional factual surveys and research, undergo sufficient deliberation processes, and introduce processes to cultivate perspective on policies to enable substantive youth participation."