Kim Soo-ah, left, and Kim Seong-soo, 13-year-old representatives of last year's event, preside over the opening ceremony of the 19th Korea National Children's Congress at the Hi Seoul Youth Hostel in Seoul's Yeongdeungpo District, Tuesday. Courtesy of the Korea Association of Children's Organizations

By Lee Hae-rin

Youth representatives aged between 10 and 17 came together to discuss social issues related to children's rights at the 19th Korea National Children's Congress and deliver their adopted resolution to the government. The three-day event kicked off, Tuesday.

A total of 120 youth representatives joining this year's event were elected by 690 children who participated in regional assemblies in 17 cities and provinces in June and July.

Throughout the event, the selected representatives have been meeting online to discuss social issues related to children's participation rights, which is one of the four main pillars of children's rights in the U.N. Convention of the Rights of the Child, along with rights to survival, protection and development. Last year's representatives selected the theme.

Korea National Children's Congress started in 2004, when the children's representatives who attended the 2002 U.N. Children's Special General Assembly proposed holding a similar event with teenagers upon their return to the country. The general assembly is held every year, jointly organized by the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the Children's Rights Agency and the Korea Association of Children's Organizations.

"Korea National Children's Congress is an event of the children, by the children, for the children, under the premise that children's voices must be heard when discussing policies and social issues related to children," Park Min-joo, one of last year's assembly representatives, said during the opening ceremony.

The opening ceremony of the 19th National Children's Congress was held at Hi Seoul Youth Hostel in Seoul's Yeongdeungpo District, Tuesday. About 40 children's representatives and organizing officials attended the ceremony, while the rest of the child representatives joined online.

"We have gathered here today to speak up about social issues ourselves together and to demonstrate that we the children are true bearers of children's rights," Ryu Sae-bom, 15, the chairperson of last year's assembly, said during the opening ceremony.

Due to the resurgence of the COVID-19 pandemic, all discussions and the adoption of resolutions will be held online. The opening and closing ceremonies are being held with a limited number of people and broadcast live on YouTube.

Based on the three days of discussions, the teenage participants will draw a resolution and deliver it to the government, where ministries will review and organize policy implementation. The result of the implementation will be heard at the Child Policy Coordinating Committee led by the prime minister.

According to the health ministry, a total of 167 tasks have been proposed to the government by the assembly, influencing several policies. Thirteen out of 14 policies from last year's resolution have been adopted or implemented, including: media literacy education, an extension of after-school activities and hands-on programs, and controlling heavy vehicle access to school zones.