Namyangju City Completes Jeong Yak-yong Civic Autonomy University Graduation Ceremony

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Eom In-yong] Namyangju City held the '2025 Jeong Yak-yong Civic Autonomy University' graduation ceremony on the 20th at the multipurpose hall of Gyeonggi Province City Media Center, graduating a total of 71 students.

The graduation ceremony was held in the presence of approximately 150 people, including Mayor Ju Gwang-deok and civic autonomy council executives. Following professional instruction, the ceremony proceeded with certificate awards and commemorative photography.

The 2025 Jeong Yak-yong Civic Autonomy University was operated for new civic autonomy committee members under the theme of 'Taking First Steps in Civic Autonomy with Jeong Yak-yong's Wisdom,' held over four sessions from the 11th to the 20th.

The education was organized around practical content including △understanding civic autonomy values △understanding civic autonomy organizations △operating civic autonomy meetings △operating civic autonomy projects, enabling new committee members to develop capabilities immediately applicable to actual civic autonomy council activities.

As part of the Dasan Jeong Yak-yong brand project, the civic autonomy university, which has carried the name 'Jeong Yak-yong' starting this year, reflected the philosophy of Jeong Yak-yong, grounded in the concept of people-centered governance, throughout the education curriculum. Going beyond simple theoretical instruction, the program is structured as a practice-oriented program that helps residents participate as community stakeholders to directly resolve civic autonomy issues, aiming to inherit the spirit of Jeong Yak-yong.

Meanwhile, the city plans to establish a Namyangju-style civic autonomy education model and support continuous capacity building of civic autonomy committee members through operating civic autonomy education programs that reflect Jeong Yak-yong's ideology and philosophy, including the Jeong Yak-yong Civic Autonomy University, 'Civic Autonomy Humanities Walk - Walking the Path of Dasan,' and 'Civic Autonomy Humanities Special Lecture - Jeong Yak-yong Edition.'

Moon Myeong-woo, head of the city's Administrative Support Division, said, "The graduates who completed four sessions of education over two weeks have broadened their understanding of local communities through voluntary participation and created an opportunity to increase interest in and capacity for civic autonomy activities."

Mayor Ju Gwang-deok stated, "Your passion demonstrated at the civic autonomy university will become a driving force for the development of our Namyangju," and added, "I hope you will inherit the teachings of Jeong Yak-yong that you learned through this education and actively engage in civic autonomy activities in your respective communities going forward."