The Ministry of Planning and Budget convened with the National Assembly to discuss solutions for youth employment and housing challenges.
On July 7, the Ministry announced that it held a 'Youth Policy Meeting' at the National Assembly's member office building, chaired by Minister Park Hong-geun.
In his opening remarks, Minister Park stated, "The real difficulties faced by young people, such as job opportunities and asset formation, are not merely individual issues. It is the responsibility of the state to provide fair opportunities for youth to grow and to create a recovery ladder that allows them to rise again after failure."
Representative Mo Kyung-jong of the Democratic Party, who attended the meeting, emphasized, "Youth are not just the future generation; they are the current generation leading our society. Youth policy should not be about preparing for a distant future but should aim to change today's lives."
Representative Woo Jae-jun of the People Power Party also noted, "While it is meaningful to have ongoing discussions about youth policy, merely holding meetings will not alleviate the disappointment and sense of alienation that young people currently feel."
He added, "Youth unemployment rates are reaching record highs each month, and rising housing costs are pushing young people further away. As a young person myself, I plan to candidly convey the institutional limitations and realities I have experienced on the ground."
Hong Geon-woo, chair of the Democratic Party's National University Student Committee, remarked, "The various issues faced by the youth generation, such as asset disparity, employment challenges, and housing instability, are not just our generation's problems; they are directly linked to a national crisis of extinction. I hope the newly established Ministry of Planning and Budget will play a significant role in taking responsibility for the future of South Korea alongside the youth for the next 100 years."
The Ministry plans to review the opinions presented during the meeting and hold additional discussions with youth experts, aiming to incorporate urgent and important youth policy tasks into the 2027 government budget proposal and long-term strategies.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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