Gwangyang City Wins Youth-Friendly Constitutional Grand Prize 'Grand Prize'

A Remarkable Achievement Following the 2024 Communication Award and 2025 Policy Award

Gwangyang City, Jeonnam Gwangju Integrated Metropolitan City, announced that it has been selected as the grand prize winner in the “Outstanding Basic Local Government” category at the “9th Youth-Friendly Constitutional Grand Prize 2026,” hosted and organized by the incorporated association Youth and the Future under the National Assembly Secretariat. With this, the city has earned the honor of receiving this award for three consecutive years.

Gwangyang City was recognized for its achievements in expanding its youth policies—including jobs, housing, culture, and welfare—based on communication and participation with young people, being selected for the “Communication Award” in 2024, the “Policy Award” in 2025, and now the “Grand Prize” in 2026. The award ceremony is scheduled to be held on September 9 at the National Assembly Members’ Office Building, ahead of the 10th Republic of Korea Youth Day.

Front view of the Gwangyang City Hall.

The city has positioned youth policy as one of its core administrative areas and has been supporting youths comprehensively, ranging from their entry into society to settling down in the region, by promoting 114 projects in six major sectors: participation and rights, jobs, housing and asset finance, culture, welfare, and education. The budget allocated for youth-related programs also steadily increased from 62.3 billion won in 2023, to 65.9 billion won in 2024, and 71.6 billion won in 2025.

Key projects include job support linked to local industries, such as company-tailored youth employment academies; housing stability support, such as subsidies for youth housing loan interest and housing expenses; expanded participation in youth policy through the Youth Policy Council; and the operation of youth culture and welfare programs. Through these initiatives, Gwangyang City established a support system encompassing all aspects of young people’s lives, including employment, housing, culture, and participation.

The foundation for youth participation in policy has also been broadened. The city is operating various participatory organizations—including the Youth Policy Coordination Committee, the Youth Policy Council, the Population and Youth Policy Citizen Participation Group, and the youth supporters group “Youth Crew”—to expand governance in which youth not only benefit from policies but also participate directly in policy processes.

Seonghyeon Park, Mayor of Gwangyang City, stated, “Being selected for the Communication Award, Policy Award, and now the Grand Prize for three consecutive years is the result of efforts to turn the voices of young people into policy and expand these policies throughout all aspects of their lives. We will continue to pursue effective youth policies to ensure that young people can work, take on challenges, and settle down stably in Gwangyang.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.