Yangpyeong County Hosts "2026 Communication Forum with Youth"

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Eom In-yong] Yangpyeong County held the '2026 Communication Forum with Youth' on the 27th in the conference room at Yangpyeong County Office, providing a time for dialogue with youth to discuss the direction of county administration.

The event was organized to expand participation from office workers and self-employed youth who find it difficult to participate in the existing 'Communication Forum with Citizens' held on weekdays, and marks its third edition this year.

Approximately 130 youth attended the event, showing higher-than-expected participation rates and serving as an opportunity to confirm high interest and willingness to participate among Yangpyeong's young people in county administration.

The Communication Forum began with County Head Jeon Jin-seon personally explaining the direction of county administration for 2026, followed by the Department Director of Family Welfare introducing major 2026 youth projects, promoting understanding of overall youth policies.

Subsequently, through free-flowing conversations with youth, opinions from the field were heard, and related department and division heads joined on stage to directly answer suggestions, continuing substantive dialogue.

At the Communication Forum held that day, various opinions directly linked to youth's lives were presented, including △expansion of support for young entrepreneurs and easing of age criteria for youth △establishing a distribution structure for online wholesale markets for local agricultural and marine products △creating youth spaces for office workers and self-employed youth △installing directional signage for leisure sports to revitalize tourism △requests to open evening programs at the lifelong learning center for office workers and self-employed youth.

Additionally, with notable participation from young farmers and young entrepreneurs, policy proposals linked to Yangpyeong's industrial structure were also presented, including establishing online distribution infrastructure in line with expanded specialty crop cultivation and operating mentor-mentee programs linking with senior business leaders in the region.

County Head Jeon Jin-seon said, "I am grateful that many young people joined us during this precious evening time," and added, "I feel both reassured and a great sense of responsibility seeing that youth are grappling with Yangpyeong's present and future together."

He continued, "We will do our best to ensure that the diverse opinions presented today can be carefully reviewed and translated into policies that young people can directly experience."