Six topics spanning humanities, economics and emerging technology — led by top guest lecturers

Free six-week program runs every Wednesday evening from Oct. 14

Open to 40 residents or workers aged 19–39; applications accepted through Sept. 30

Poster for the 2026 Songpa Youth Academy
Poster for the 2026 Songpa Youth Academy

Songpa-gu in Seoul is launching a free liberal-arts and technology lecture series for local young adults called the 2026 Songpa Youth Academy.

The program brings together leading experts from academia, business, media and finance to cover a broad range of subjects at no cost to participants.

Sessions are held one evening a week so that young adults who work or study during the day can attend. The program is designed to give participants direct access to specialists they would not ordinarily encounter, helping them build the perspective and practical knowledge needed to navigate a rapidly changing world.

The curriculum covers six topics tied to everyday life for young adults: leadership and talent development, humanities, liberal democracy and history, economics and finance, and robotics and AI. Each topic is addressed in a single special lecture.

The speaker lineup includes Lee Sang-do, a senior reporter at Peace Broadcasting; Choi Jae-woon, an AI specialist and professor at Kwangwoon University; Kang Gil-jin, a specialist instructor at the Korea Inclusive Finance Agency; Gu Ja-hoon, head of HRD at Yujin Group; Han Jae-kwon, a robotics engineer and professor at Hanyang University; and Jo Yong-min, CEO of Unbound Lab Dev and a former Google executive director.

Lectures run every Wednesday evening at 7 p.m. from Oct. 14 through Nov. 18. The program accepts 40 applicants between the ages of 19 and 39 who either live in Songpa-gu or work or participate in an organization based there. Residents of other districts are eligible as long as their employer or affiliated organization is located in Songpa-gu.

Interested applicants can download an application form from the Songpa-gu district office website or the Songpa Learn education portal and submit it by email. The application window runs from Sept. 10 through Sept. 30 at 6 p.m.

The district plans to support networking activities so that graduates of the academy can stay connected after the program ends.

"This academy is an educational program designed exclusively for young adults to develop a balanced understanding of diverse values, knowledge and skills," Songpa-gu District Mayor Seo Gang-seok said. "We will go beyond lectures to build a learning community where young people grow together, and we will make Songpa a place that supports youth every step of the way."


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