Ajou University Political Science Students' Policy Proposal Materializes as Suwon City Council 'Council Academy' Ordinance

A policy proposal by the club "Min-joong Sarang" (chair Bae Seung-hun), operated by students majoring in political science and diplomacy at Ajou University, has come to fruition as an ordinance enacted by the Suwon City Council.

Students from Min-joong Sarang visited Suwon Special City Councilmember Bae Ji-hwan and proposed that teenagers, young adults, and college students need opportunities to experience local legislative bodies more closely and participate in council activities.

The request was to establish institutional foundations that would allow students to go beyond theoretical understanding of local autonomy and directly learn and experience the role of the assembly and the legislative process.

In response, Councilmember Bae, together with Suwon Special City Councilmember Keum Ga-hyun, organized the relevant content as policy and brought it to legislative discussions within the council.

Suwon Special City Councilmember Lee Dong-yeop joined the effort, adding and supplementing necessary operational details based on the proposal's intent, resulting in the introduction of the ordinance bill "Ordinance on the Operation of the Suwon City Council Youth and College Student Council Academy."

The ordinance bill passed the Suwon City Council plenary session on October 28.

The ordinance contains provisions supporting diverse participation activities including the council academy's operational plans and educational programs, operation of a youth and college student press corps, opening of council facilities, and councilmember mentoring.

This case represents the result of students' voluntary policy proposals combined with local legislators' communication and legislative cooperation. It is a product of legislative activity by Councilmember Bae Ji-hwan, who connected students' opinions to policy agendas, and Councilmember Lee Dong-yeop, who developed them into concrete ordinances.

Councilmember Bae Ji-hwan said, "This is an example demonstrating that young people can become actors who discover problems in their communities and propose solutions, going beyond simply being policy beneficiaries," and added, "It is expected to serve as an opportunity for more youth and college students to take interest in and participate in local autonomy and council activities."