Yecheon-gun in North Gyeongsang Province won an encouragement prize in the innovation category at the 2026 North Gyeongsang Province Innovation and Proactive Administration Best Practices Competition Workshop, held Friday at The K Hotel Gyeongju.
The competition evaluated 10 finalists — selected through a preliminary written review by experts — with on-site judging to determine the final award recipients.
Yecheon-gun received the encouragement prize in the innovation category for its initiative titled "Filling the blind spots in education," which centers on the operation of the Yecheon Youth Nest Learning Center, a self-directed learning support facility.
The program was particularly recognized for improving educational access for youth in the original downtown area and rural townships, and for helping narrow the educational gap between communities that emerged following the development of the North Gyeongsang Provincial Government new town.
The Youth Nest Learning Center operates at four locations — Yecheon-eup and the townships of Gamcheon, Yonggung and Pungyang — providing a public learning space where students receive support through EBS educational content and personalized study management by on-site coordinators to foster self-directed learning.
"We will continue to find answers on the ground, boldly reform outdated practices, and pursue proactive administration that brings real change to the lives of our residents," Yecheon County Mayor An Byeong-yun said.
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