Rep. Kim Dong-a of the Democratic Party of Korea [provided by the lawmaker's office]
Rep. Kim Dong-a of the Democratic Party of Korea [provided by the lawmaker's office]

Rep. Kim Dong-a of the Democratic Party of Korea, who represents Seoul's Seodaemun-gu A district, announced Wednesday that she had introduced a bill to amend the Framework Act on Youth to unify the delivery system for youth policy and legally guarantee budget support for related programs.

According to Kim, the amendment focuses on establishing a dedicated youth policy agency and making budget allocation for that agency a legal obligation so it can function effectively.

The bill would convert the Youth Foundation — currently a private-sector legal entity — into a state-established body to be called the Youth Policy Promotion Agency. The existing youth policy support system has long been split between the private sector, represented by the Youth Foundation, and public institutions such as the Korea Employment Information Service, drawing criticism for inefficiency. The proposed consolidation into a single state agency aims to significantly strengthen the expertise and public accountability of youth policy.

The bill would also legally require the minister of the Ministry of Planning and Budget to respect the basic plan for youth policy established by the prime minister when drawing up the budget. The measure is designed to prevent youth-related budget allocations from being cut during the budgeting process on grounds of priority adjustments, even though current law already mandates that a basic plan for youth policy be drawn up every five years.

"For youth policy to be more than an empty promise, a demand-driven dedicated agency and solid budget support must be guaranteed together," Kim said. "If the bill passes, youth policy will be pursued consistently and forcefully from planning through budgeting to implementation." She added that she would "continue to think hard and build the institutional foundation needed to address the real difficulties young people face — in housing, finance and employment."


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