Young people in Gunpo have secured 25,000,000 KRW (about $18,750) in national funding for an innovative environmental program and are taking the lead on local ecosystem restoration.
Gunpo’s youth space Flying (hereafter \"Cheongple\") announced on May 14 that it was selected for the 2026 Regionally Tailored Youth Projects, hosted by the Office for Government Policy Coordination and organized by the Central Youth Support Center — marking Cheongple’s second consecutive year in the program.
The initiative seeks programs tailored to local young people’s needs and characteristics, with the goals of improving youth quality of life and advancing youth policy. This year, 28 centers nationwide were chosen; Cheongple was one of eight selected in the Seoul metropolitan area.
Cheongple proposed the \"Harmless Youth Life\" (Mucheongsaeng) program to reflect local youth demand for environmental action, and it secured the full project budget of 25,000,000 KRW (about $18,750) in national funds.
The program aims to develop young people as active participants in responding to the climate crisis by restoring local ecosystems and creating practical avenues for policy engagement.
Key components include Bandal Lab — the Banwol Lake Otter Living Lab, which carries out hands-on environmental work; Jegun — Gunpo Fair Trade & Zero Life, promoting ecosystem recovery through value-driven consumption; and Mucheonga — the Harmless Policy Academy, a youth-led environmental policy project.
\"Being selected for this regionally tailored project two years in a row underscores our commitment,\" a Cheongple official said. \"We will run substantive programs that enable young people to lead on environmental issues and to establish themselves in the city with stability.\"
After finalizing the agreement, Cheongple will begin recruiting participants and running programs in June. Details are available on Cheongple’s website and social media channels.
Gunpo — Seung-sik Lee, reporter thankslee57@viva100.com
