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Busan Completes Renovation of the Self-Reliance Support Center, Marking a New Voyage for Youth Preparing for Independent Living

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Busan Metropolitan City Mayor Park Heong-joon announced that the City has completed facility improvement works at the Self-Reliance Support Center to support the stable transition to independence of youth preparing for independent living*.

Established in 2016 through a public contest project by the Community Chest of Korea, the Busan Metropolitan City Self-Reliance Support Center is the first such institution of its kind nationwide.

The Center is a specialized institution that provides follow-up management and customized case management services to support the stable social integration of youth preparing for independent living after the termination of protection at child welfare facilities or foster homes.

The recent facility improvement project was carried out from July through November and focused on enhancing the environment of 22 aging residential units.

As part of the project, repair works were conducted to resolve long-standing issues such as water leaks and noise, while exterior waterproofing construction was carried out simultaneously to address the root causes of water leakage.

The residential facilities consist of 12 self-reliance experience rooms for children under protection and 10 independent living rooms for youth preparing for independent living.

Through this renovation, the City expects that youth preparing for independent living will be able to prepare for independence in a safer and more pleasant environment than before.

Move-ins to the self-reliance experience rooms and living quarters, which had been suspended during the construction period, are scheduled to resume starting next year (2026).

Building on this environmental improvement, the City’s Self-Reliance Support Center plans to further enhance follow-up management and customized programs for youth preparing for independent living, while continuing to expand related initiatives through cooperation with local communities and relevant organizations.

The completion ceremony was held on December 19 at 2:00 p.m.

The event was divided into Part 1, a commemorative ceremony, and Part 2, a talk concert. About 70 attendees, including the head of the City’s Children and Youth Division, Jeong-gyu Park, President of the Busan Association of Child Welfare, representatives of child welfare facilities, and youth preparing for independent living, were present at the ceremony.

In particular, during Part 2, Kang-bin Park—who appeared on the tvN program “You Quiz on the Block”—shared his story as a youth preparing for independent living, engaging in open communication with protected children and youth preparing for independence in the Busan area. Based on the vivid experiences of a senior youth who has already embarked on independent living, the session provided a meaningful opportunity to discuss realistic concerns with those currently preparing for independence.

Seol-yeon Park, Director General of the City’s Women and Family Bureau, remarked, “This completion ceremony is not simply the end of a project, but the starting point of a new voyage,” adding, “Busan Metropolitan City will continue to listen closely to the voices of youth preparing for independent living and will spare no effort in building foundations for independence and advancing related policies so that they can grow into healthy members of society.”

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※ Youth preparing for independent living refers to young people whose protection at child welfare facilities (including group homes) or foster families has ended within the past five years.