Youth voices demanding more inclusive, secure and forward-looking employment policies took centre stage at the Gyeonggi-ILO International Labour Festa 2025, held on 15-17 December 2025 in Goyang, Republic of Korea.
The Forum, themed "Youth, Provinces and the Future of Work", brought together more than 100 young people from around the world, alongside representatives of governments, employers' and workers' organizations, and international partners. Discussions focused on the changing world of work and the role that sub-national actors can play in advancing decent work opportunities for young people.
In a message delivered at the opening of the Festa, the ILO Director-General Gilbert F. Houngbo underscored the importance of elevating youth perspectives.
"More than 20 per cent of youth across the globe, overwhelmingly young women, are not in employment, education or training. And for those who do find work, all too often it is precarious and informal, deprived of security, rights or dignity. This is the reality for countless young people. It is a reality that calls for determined action," he said.
Throughout the event, youth delegates engaged directly with provincial leaders, including the Governor of Gyeonggi Province, Kim Dong-yeon, as well as the Minister of Employment and Labour of Korea, Kim Young-hoon, ILO representatives, and local and international social partners. Dialogues explored young people's priorities, including the need for stronger pathways into decent jobs, more equitable access to opportunities in the digital and green economies, and faster policy responses to the disruptions caused by AI, automation and climate change.
"Youth are not merely beneficiaries of policy, but partners who help set the direction and implement policies together," said Kim Young-hoon, Minister of Employment and Labour of the Republic of Korea.
"Above all, we will listen closely to the voices of young people, the true protagonists of the future," said Kim Dong-yeon, Governor of Gyeonggi Province.
A recurring message was the pivotal role of provinces and other sub-national authorities in developing employment and social protection solutions that respond to local labour-market realities. Participants emphasized that provinces can act as "policy laboratories" designing, testing and scaling innovations that may influence and contribute to national policies.
The Festa showcased national and local employment policies, initiatives on green jobs, innovations in AI and digital skills, rights and provisions for workers in digital work platforms, and youth-led efforts developed jointly with governments, employers' and workers' organizations.
The Festa also served as a platform to deliver on commitments set in the ILO Youth Employment Action Plan 2020-2030, bringing renewed focus to participatory decision-making. During the event, the ILO launched its "Meaningful youth engagement for decent work" training package as a tool to assist governments and social partners to work together with young people as equal partners in shaping and implementing employment policies and programmes. The event also contributed to the Global Coalitions for Social Justice's key intervention on Empowering Youth for Social Justice.
© ILO
The 2025 ILO-Gyeonggi International Labour Festa was jointly organized by the Gyeonggi Provincial Government, the International Labour Organization (ILO), and the Ministry of Employment and Labour of the Republic of Korea.
