Open to all areas of community development, from everyday inconveniences to urban planning, education and welfare
Submissions accepted Oct. 12–Nov. 6; top proposals eligible for prizes of up to 1 million won
Yangcheon-gu will hold the 2026 Yangcheon-gu Idea Contest from Oct. 12 through Nov. 6 to uncover creative policy proposals from residents and expand public participation in local governance.
The contest is designed to turn residents' fresh perspectives on everyday problems into actionable policy. The initiative aims to broaden "resident-participatory administration" — moving citizens from passive recipients of policy to active contributors who help shape change in their community.
Proposals may cover any area of community development, from small improvements to daily inconveniences to policy ideas tied to the district's core goals: a convenient city, a green future city, an economically vibrant city, a safe city, a city of quality education, a city of enjoyment and a city of warmth.
The contest is open not only to Yangcheon-gu residents but also to workers, students and organizations based in the district. Proposals can be submitted online through the "Idea House" section of the Yangcheon-gu district office website, by email to the relevant officer, or in person at the Planning and Budget Division on the fourth floor of the district office.
Submitted proposals will be reviewed by the relevant departments, then evaluated through an online public vote open to residents and staff, followed by a review committee assessment. Final winners will be announced in December. Prize money and a commendation from the district mayor will be awarded to outstanding proposals: 1 million won ($744) for first place, 500,000 won for second, 200,000 won for third, 100,000 won for an encouragement prize, and 50,000 won each for effort prizes.
Yangcheon-gu has run the resident idea contest since 2018, adopting a total of 67 proposals as actual policy — including improvements to spaces for pet activities and the introduction of arts and culture programs in parks.
Last year's adopted proposals included a QR-code video guide for outdoor exercise equipment in neighborhood parks, a collaboration studio pairing middle-aged residents with youth to combine their respective skills, and a plan to develop Jangsu Park as a multigenerational space — all of which brought policy closer to everyday life and deepened the meaning of resident participation.
"Change in district administration begins with the small ideas of residents who know the community best," Yangcheon-gu District Mayor Lee Ki-jae said. "We hope many people will take an interest and participate, so that fresh proposals to improve daily inconveniences and make Yangcheon a better place to live can be turned into real policy."
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