[Herald Business = Senior Reporter Park Jong-il] Mapo-gu (District Mayor Yoo Dong-gyun) is accepting applications through Aug. 19 for the "2026 Mapo-gu Youth Policy Festival Pick!," a program designed to bring young residents' voices into district governance.
Co-organized by the Mapo Youth Culture Center and the Mapo-gu Youth Participation Committee, the festival is a participatory program in which young people directly propose changes they believe the community needs.
This year the Youth Participation Committee is involved in every stage — from planning and campaign operations to running the final round — giving the event its distinctive identity as a policy festival built entirely by youth.
The program is open to residents aged 12 to 19 who live or spend time in Mapo-gu. Applicants may enter individually or in teams of up to three.
Proposal topics span nine categories: civic participation, human rights, career development, culture, digital, mental health, environment, safety and welfare.
Submissions on any theme related to young people's lives are also welcome beyond those categories.
Interested applicants can download the application form from the Mapo Youth Culture Center website and submit it online or in person by Aug. 19.
During the submission period, the center will also hold policy-development workshops to guide participants through the proposal-writing process. Individuals can sign up through the activity registration tab on the Mapo Youth Culture Center website, while classes and school clubs can arrange school-visit workshops by coordinating schedules with the center.
Submitted proposals will undergo a first-round expert review on Aug. 21, from which 18 teams will be selected.
Youth voting will then run from Aug. 26 through Sept. 21. Pop-up polling stations will be set up at local schools and youth festival venues — including the Youth Summer Night Festival and the sports festival MSL — alongside online voting, to determine the six teams advancing to the final round.
The six finalists will receive expert consulting before presenting their policy ideas at the final competition, to be held Oct. 31 at Mapo Central Library.
A youth audience panel and professional judges will then evaluate the presentations and select the top proposals. The chosen proposals will undergo a practical review by the relevant Mapo-gu departments, which will decide whether to incorporate them into district policy.
"Ideas that come from young people's perspectives are the most precious asset in shaping Mapo's future," District Mayor Yoo said. "I will work closely with the relevant departments and provide full support to ensure that the proposals uncovered through this policy festival are in fact reflected in district governance."
Last year's finalists included a range of proposals such as a youth esports festival, an overseas cultural exchange project for young residents, and a youth transit fare support program. Of those, the youth esports festival is set to be piloted this year as a competitive tournament.
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