Editor’s Note
This article outlines a political pledge to develop urban spaces catering to youth and families. It is presented as a matter of public record from a campaign announcement.
Jinju mayoral candidate Jang Moon-seok, a lawyer from the Democratic Party of Korea, held a press conference at the city hall briefing room on the 12th and announced his pledge to ‘Create a Youth City’.
said candidate Jang, presenting three key directions to achieve this: creating secure workplaces for youth, creating happy living spaces for youth, and creating intergenerational playgrounds.
Jinju mayoral candidate Jang Moon-seok pledged, “To create jobs for young people, I will attract private and defense industry-related drone companies.”
Candidate Jang explained, “There are approximately 6,800 drone-related companies in Korea, with 608 identified as manufacturers. The total sales of the domestic drone industry exceeded about 1 trillion won as of 2023, and the fields of drone application are gradually expanding.”
He emphasized, “To attract private and defense industry-related drone companies, Jinju City will directly support incentives such as factory construction permits and tax benefits, recruitment of skilled foreign technicians, support for domestic and international sales channels, and domestic and international civilian-government-military cooperation.”
In addition, he stated, “By designating a Youth Startup Special Zone, I will provide financial support of 20 billion won annually to 100 young people who gather from Jinju, western South Gyeongsang Province, and across the nation, supporting them throughout the entire commercialization process from the human, material, and network resources and startup idea stage to the mass production stage.”
Candidate Jang Moon-seok stated, “To improve the residential conditions for young people, I will supply 5,000 youth housing units,” adding, “While Jinju City’s numerical housing supply rate exceeds 100%, this mostly includes apartments and vacant houses. Suitable ‘high-quality small housing’ needed by young people is in short supply.”
He further explained, “Recently, monthly rents in university districts like Gajwa-dong exceed 400,000 to 500,000 won, mercilessly eroding young people’s disposable income. The 5,000 youth housing units will be supplied through new construction, remodeling, and reconstruction, utilizing areas such as the old downtown, university districts and state/public land, new housing sites and station areas, and private land.”
emphasized Candidate Jang.
Additionally, Candidate Jang Moon-seok pledged to introduce a 100-won youth circular bus for those under 30, implement a 200 million won loan guarantee for newlyweds and a system to repay up to 100 million won of the principal upon childbirth, and expand and operate youth spaces by district.
Candidate Jang Moon-seok said, “As of 2024, Jinju City’s population is about 340,000, and the number of registered companion animals is about 220,000. If unregistered dogs and cats are included, a much larger number of companion animals are living with Jinju citizens.”
He continued, “Companion animal guardians need a total support center where they can receive training, play, and treatment according to their pet’s life cycle, and they wish for proper cremation at the final moment. Accordingly, I will promote the establishment of a ‘park-type support center’ comprehensively equipped with an animal general hospital, companion animal training facilities, playgrounds for guardians and pets, a Jinju regional office of the Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency, and a companion animal crematorium.”
Finally, Jinju mayoral candidate Jang Moon-seok expressed his aspiration: