Yeosu City to Support Youth Until They Settle Down
- Date
- 2026.03.19 09:52
- Views
- 18
- Registrar
- 여수시청
- Aims to provide a foundation for life, including preparation, experience, employment, marriage/housing, and social participation for the youth
- KRW 52 billion invested in 61 projects across 5 sectors: employment, housing/settlement, living, communication/participation, and education
Yeosu City has launched youth support initiatives with the determination to "support local youth until they settle down."
Accordingly, the city will invest a total of KRW 52 billion in youth policies this year, systematically supporting the entire process from youth preparation and experience to employment, marriage/housing, and social participation.
In particular, the city has prepared specific implementation plans for each life stage, ranging from alleviating the financial burden of job preparation to providing local experiences, connecting youth with stable jobs, supporting housing and asset building, and encouraging local community participation.
The implementation plan comprises 61 projects across five sectors: ▲ Employment (14 projects) ▲ Housing and Settlement (21 projects) ▲ Living (9 projects) ▲ Communication and Participation (10 projects) and ▲ Education (7 projects). A significant portion of the budget is concentrated in the housing and settlement sector.
▶Lowering the Burden from Exam and Tuition Fees: Reducing Costs in the Preparation Stage
The city is focusing on lowering the economic barriers that arise during the job preparation process. Support is concentrated on reducing the costs incurred just before employment and ensuring a fair starting line.
Through the 'Youth Certification Exam Fee Support Project,' the city encourages youth to take on new challenges by subsidizing exam fees for tests directly linked to employment, such as language proficiency tests, national technical qualifications, and Korean history exams.
Additionally, the city will alleviate the repayment burden for college students and young adults entering the workforce through the 'Student Loan Interest Support Project.' It also provides a stable living environment for students attending universities in the Seoul metropolitan area through the 'Yeosu Haksook' dormitory.
▶Experience Over Credentials: Expanding Opportunities to Work Locally
To allow youth to gain hands-on work experience locally and explore career paths, the city is also promoting the 'College Student Field Practicum Activation Support Project.' In connection with local businesses, it will subsidize practicum expenses and provide practical, major-related field experiences.
Furthermore, through the 'Youth Public Works Project,' the city plans to provide opportunities to work in various fields, such as administration, information technology, and public services, helping youth entering society enhance their understanding of job duties.
Through these efforts, the city plans to create a structure that provides youth with the asset of 'local work experience' while connecting businesses with talent who understand the region.
▶From Employment to Entrepreneurship: Supporting Youth to ‘Work and Grow’ Locally
The city also supports youth employment and entrepreneurship. In the employment sector, it will actively operate Yeosu's specialized talent training systems, such as the 'Technician School,' the 'Early Employment Contract Department,' and the 'University Job Plus Center.'
By training customized professionals required by industrial fields and directly connecting them to jobs at excellent local companies, the city helps youth work stably in Yeosu and grow into experts.
Alongside this, the city provides full support for the challenges of youth who create their own jobs. Prospective and early-stage young entrepreneurs will be provided with a package including up to KRW 20 million in commercialization funds, entrepreneurship education, and expert mentoring through the 'Youth Challenge Entrepreneurship Support Project.'
Post-startup, through the 'Customized On-site Consulting Project for Young Microenterprise Owners,' experts in tax, labor, and marketing will visit the sites to diagnose overall management. The city plans to provide up to an additional KRW 5 million in commercialization funds to back up the startups so they can settle into practical livelihoods.
▶From Marriage to Housing and Assets: Concentrating KRW 28.2 Billion on Core Settlement Sectors
To resolve housing instability—the biggest factor behind youth outmigration—and lay the foundation for a stable life, the city is heavily investing KRW 28.2 billion in the settlement sector.
The city offers various housing options for housing-less youth and newlyweds through projects such as ▲ Jeonse (Deposit) Loan Interest Support (KRW 820 million), ▲ Newlywed and Multi-child Household Housing Support (KRW 926 million), ▲ Young Couple Marriage Congratulatory Money Support Project (KRW 1.624 billion), and ▲ the expansion of Yeosu-style Youth Rental Housing supply (200 units).
Additionally, to support systematic health management across the life cycle from pregnancy to infancy, approximately KRW 13 billion (KRW 12.882 billion) will be invested to alleviate the economic burden on families.
Furthermore, the city plans to do its utmost to ensure that youth can work, live, and start families in Yeosu by building a settlement ladder that extends from youth asset building to family formation through programs like the 'Youth Hope Stepping Stone Account' and the 'Youth Tomorrow Savings Account.'
▶Establishing Online and Offline Youth Platforms Where Participation and Culture Coexist Based on Space
The 'Yeosu City Youth Support Center,' established in Munsu-dong, operates as a dedicated offline youth platform providing policy roundtables, youth capacity-building programs, and employment support.
The 'Yeosu City Youth Policy Platform,' launched this March, is an integrated online platform where youth can view policy information by sector at a glance, apply online, propose policies, and gather opinions. It is expected to enhance user convenience and expand the foundation for youth participation.
Along with this, the city plans to continuously expand hub spaces where youth can stay, act, and form relationships in the region through the MOIS (Ministry of the Interior and Safety) and Jeonnam-type 'Youth Village Creation Project' competitions.
In addition, the city plans to increase youth life satisfaction by broadening cultural accessibility in daily life through the 'Youth Cultural Welfare Card,' youth book purchase subsidies, and the 'Youth Street Culture Festival.'
A city official stated, "Yeosu City's youth policy does not stop at short-term support but focuses on providing a foundation for youth to design their lives and take on challenges in Yeosu." The official added, "We will continue to actively discover effective policies by reflecting the voices of our youth and create a city for youth where they want to stay and return."
- KRW 52 billion invested in 61 projects across 5 sectors: employment, housing/settlement, living, communication/participation, and education
Yeosu City has launched youth support initiatives with the determination to "support local youth until they settle down."
Accordingly, the city will invest a total of KRW 52 billion in youth policies this year, systematically supporting the entire process from youth preparation and experience to employment, marriage/housing, and social participation.
In particular, the city has prepared specific implementation plans for each life stage, ranging from alleviating the financial burden of job preparation to providing local experiences, connecting youth with stable jobs, supporting housing and asset building, and encouraging local community participation.
The implementation plan comprises 61 projects across five sectors: ▲ Employment (14 projects) ▲ Housing and Settlement (21 projects) ▲ Living (9 projects) ▲ Communication and Participation (10 projects) and ▲ Education (7 projects). A significant portion of the budget is concentrated in the housing and settlement sector.
▶Lowering the Burden from Exam and Tuition Fees: Reducing Costs in the Preparation Stage
The city is focusing on lowering the economic barriers that arise during the job preparation process. Support is concentrated on reducing the costs incurred just before employment and ensuring a fair starting line.
Through the 'Youth Certification Exam Fee Support Project,' the city encourages youth to take on new challenges by subsidizing exam fees for tests directly linked to employment, such as language proficiency tests, national technical qualifications, and Korean history exams.
Additionally, the city will alleviate the repayment burden for college students and young adults entering the workforce through the 'Student Loan Interest Support Project.' It also provides a stable living environment for students attending universities in the Seoul metropolitan area through the 'Yeosu Haksook' dormitory.
▶Experience Over Credentials: Expanding Opportunities to Work Locally
To allow youth to gain hands-on work experience locally and explore career paths, the city is also promoting the 'College Student Field Practicum Activation Support Project.' In connection with local businesses, it will subsidize practicum expenses and provide practical, major-related field experiences.
Furthermore, through the 'Youth Public Works Project,' the city plans to provide opportunities to work in various fields, such as administration, information technology, and public services, helping youth entering society enhance their understanding of job duties.
Through these efforts, the city plans to create a structure that provides youth with the asset of 'local work experience' while connecting businesses with talent who understand the region.
▶From Employment to Entrepreneurship: Supporting Youth to ‘Work and Grow’ Locally
The city also supports youth employment and entrepreneurship. In the employment sector, it will actively operate Yeosu's specialized talent training systems, such as the 'Technician School,' the 'Early Employment Contract Department,' and the 'University Job Plus Center.'
By training customized professionals required by industrial fields and directly connecting them to jobs at excellent local companies, the city helps youth work stably in Yeosu and grow into experts.
Alongside this, the city provides full support for the challenges of youth who create their own jobs. Prospective and early-stage young entrepreneurs will be provided with a package including up to KRW 20 million in commercialization funds, entrepreneurship education, and expert mentoring through the 'Youth Challenge Entrepreneurship Support Project.'
Post-startup, through the 'Customized On-site Consulting Project for Young Microenterprise Owners,' experts in tax, labor, and marketing will visit the sites to diagnose overall management. The city plans to provide up to an additional KRW 5 million in commercialization funds to back up the startups so they can settle into practical livelihoods.
▶From Marriage to Housing and Assets: Concentrating KRW 28.2 Billion on Core Settlement Sectors
To resolve housing instability—the biggest factor behind youth outmigration—and lay the foundation for a stable life, the city is heavily investing KRW 28.2 billion in the settlement sector.
The city offers various housing options for housing-less youth and newlyweds through projects such as ▲ Jeonse (Deposit) Loan Interest Support (KRW 820 million), ▲ Newlywed and Multi-child Household Housing Support (KRW 926 million), ▲ Young Couple Marriage Congratulatory Money Support Project (KRW 1.624 billion), and ▲ the expansion of Yeosu-style Youth Rental Housing supply (200 units).
Additionally, to support systematic health management across the life cycle from pregnancy to infancy, approximately KRW 13 billion (KRW 12.882 billion) will be invested to alleviate the economic burden on families.
Furthermore, the city plans to do its utmost to ensure that youth can work, live, and start families in Yeosu by building a settlement ladder that extends from youth asset building to family formation through programs like the 'Youth Hope Stepping Stone Account' and the 'Youth Tomorrow Savings Account.'
▶Establishing Online and Offline Youth Platforms Where Participation and Culture Coexist Based on Space
The 'Yeosu City Youth Support Center,' established in Munsu-dong, operates as a dedicated offline youth platform providing policy roundtables, youth capacity-building programs, and employment support.
The 'Yeosu City Youth Policy Platform,' launched this March, is an integrated online platform where youth can view policy information by sector at a glance, apply online, propose policies, and gather opinions. It is expected to enhance user convenience and expand the foundation for youth participation.
Along with this, the city plans to continuously expand hub spaces where youth can stay, act, and form relationships in the region through the MOIS (Ministry of the Interior and Safety) and Jeonnam-type 'Youth Village Creation Project' competitions.
In addition, the city plans to increase youth life satisfaction by broadening cultural accessibility in daily life through the 'Youth Cultural Welfare Card,' youth book purchase subsidies, and the 'Youth Street Culture Festival.'
A city official stated, "Yeosu City's youth policy does not stop at short-term support but focuses on providing a foundation for youth to design their lives and take on challenges in Yeosu." The official added, "We will continue to actively discover effective policies by reflecting the voices of our youth and create a city for youth where they want to stay and return."
