Republic of Korea
Child Friendly Cities Initiative
The Child Friendly Cities Initiative in the Republic of Korea has earned remarkable progress in awareness-raising activities on the rights of children since 2013. As one of the biggest platform initiatives of the Korean Committee for UNICEF, it leverages other advocacy and fundraising activities of the National Committee while following the global CFCI framework with components localized to the Korean context. The National Committee is actively contributing to international cooperation and development in Asia by engaging with Country Offices and National Committees as one of the most longstanding models for the CFCI in the region.
The Korean Committee introduced a formalized framework for the initiative in 2016-2017, developing a set of reporting documents to be submitted by partner cities for evaluation. The framework consists of a memorandum of understanding, a situation analysis, an action plan and an impact assessment and evaluation. A multidisciplinary evaluation is carried out by experts in various fields such as law, social welfare, education, public health, business administration, counselling, and child development.
The Korean Committee works closely with the experts to maintain the fairness and professionalism of the evaluation process. Clear and demonstrated results are the key to recognizing a Child Friendly City, so the National Committee made it mandatory in 2017 for municipalities to submit not only an action plan that determines their commitment in the future but also a governance report that summarizes their work and results achieved until the present. The National Committee has been working with 116 municipalities (83 of which were recognized as Child Friendly Cities) out of the total 243 municipalities in the country.
The initiative reached out to approximately 48% of the total municipalities and 80% of the total child population in the country.
The Korean Committee also established the Association for the Promotion of UNICEF Child Friendly Cities in 2015 to form a network of local governments for mutual learning and co-funding activities. The association is joined by 102 municipalities as of March 2023, and is actively seeking cooperation opportunities with other municipalities as well as the National Committee.
COUNTRY FACTS
Population: 51,421,479
Pop. under 18: 8,623,292
CONTACT
Korean Committee for UNICEF
LINKS
List of child friendly cities in Republic of Korea
83 recognized cities
- Ansan
- Asan
- Bucheon Metropolitcan City
- Buk (a borough of Ulsan)
- Buk (a borough of Gwangju)
- Busan
- Busanjin (a borough of Busan)
- Changwon
- Cheonan
- Cheongju
- Chilgok
- Chungju
- Daedeok (a borough of Daejeon)
- Dalseo (a borough of Daegu)
- Dangjin
- Dobong (a borough of Seoul)
- Dong (a borough of Incheon)
- Dong (a borough of Gwangju)
- Dongdaemun (a borough of Seoul)
- Eunpyeong (a borough of Seoul)
- Eumseong
- Gangdong (a borough of Seoul)
- Gangnam (a borough of Seoul)
- Gangseo (a borough of Seoul)
- Gangbuk (a borough of Seoul)
- Geumcheon (a borough of Seoul)
- Geumjeong (a borough of Busan)
- Gimhae
- Goseong
- Gunpo
- Gumi
- Guro (a borough of Seoul)
- Gunsan
- Gwanak (a borough of Seoul)
- Gwangjin (a borough of Seoul)
- Gwangju Metropolitan City
- Gwangju
- Gwangmyeong
- Gwangyang
- Gyeongju
- Hoengseong
- Hongseong
- Hwasun
- Hwaseong
- Iksan
- Jangheung
- Jecheon
- Jeonju
- Jeungpyeong
- Jincheon
- Jongno (a borough of Seoul)
- Naju
- Namdong (a borough of Incheon)
- Nonsan
- Nowon (a borough of Seoul)
- Okcheon
- Osan
- Pyeongtaek
- Saha (a borough of Busan)
- Sejong
- Seo (a borough of Busan)
- Seo (a borough of Daejeon)
- Seo (a borough of Gwangju)
- Seo (a borough of Incheon)
- Seocho (a borough of Seoul)
- Seodaemun (a borough of Seoul)
- Seongbuk (a borough of Seoul)
- Seongdong (a borough of Seoul)
- Seongnam
- Siheung
- Songpa (a borough of Seoul)
- Suncheon
- Suwon
- Suyeong (a borough of Busan)
- Uiwang
- Wanju
- Yangcheon (a borough of Seoul)
- Yeongju
- Yeongdeungpo (a borough of Seoul)
- Yeonje (a borough of Busan)
- Yongin
- Yongsan (a borough of Seoul)
- Yuseong (a borough of Daejeon)
