The College of Social Science (Dean Jeong Yong-jun) held a mock Jeollabuk-do Provincial Council to strengthen students' major competencies on December 28, 2023, at the Jeollabuk-do Provincial Council plenary session hall (Chairperson Guk Ju-yeong-eun).

This event was held as part of the memorandum of understanding titled "Operation of Mock Assemblies for Understanding Local Councils and Local Autonomy," signed on October 24, 2023, between Jeonbuk National University (JBNU) College of Social Science and the Jeollabuk-do Provincial Council. The program was designed to give College of Social Science students direct experience in handling council agenda items, to raise university students' interest in regional social issues—such as the growing threat of regional demise due to youth outmigration—and to contribute to cultivating practical public-minded intellectuals who serve the local community.

At the Jeollabuk-do Provincial Council, an advisory panel composed of Council Members Kim Seong-su, Seo Nan-i, Lee Su-jin, and Han Jeong-su participated as mentors and assisted students in drafting ordinance proposals.

The competition proceeded with JBNU College of Social Science students forming pairs to draft ordinance proposals on agenda items proposed by the Jeollabuk-do Provincial Council. The main items discussed included "Support for Socially Isolated Youth," "Balanced Development of Jeollabuk-do," "Fostering Local Universities and Regionally Balanced Talent," "Use and Recycling of Environmentally Friendly Materials for Banners," "Youth Housing Support," and "Protection of Rights and Support for Non-regular Workers in Jeollabuk-do."

Participating students conducted Q&A sessions and debates on their drafted ordinance proposals in the morning standing committees. In the afternoon plenary session, presentations of the proposals and voting were held.

As a result of the competition, the Provincial Council Chairperson's Award, given to the most outstanding youth councilors, went to students Shin Su-jeong, Oh Yeon-woo, and Lee Ye-ji (all Department of Political Science and Diplomacy).

The Grand Prize for the most active team was awarded to the team of Kim Tae-hyeon and Oh Yeon-woo (both Department of Political Science and Diplomacy) for their ordinance proposal on the protection of rights and support for non-regular workers. The Excellence Award went to the team of Kim Min-seo and Shin Su-jeong (both Department of Political Science and Diplomacy) for their ordinance on support for socially isolated youth. The Encouragement Award was given to the team of Im Ye-eun and Lee Seung-mi (both Department of Sociology) for their ordinance on the use and recycling of environmentally friendly materials for banners.

Council Member Seo Nan-i said in her judging remarks, "I am very pleased to be able to hold a youth assembly in our region together with the JBNU College of Social Science. I could feel the students' strong interest in local community issues, and I was very impressed by their ability to seek solutions, draft ordinance proposals, and participate in Q&A."

Guk Ju-yeong-eun, Chairperson of the Jeollabuk-do Provincial Council, said in his welcome address, "Through the experience of practicing the council's democratic decision-making process, I hope students will develop their capacities as democratic citizens. I also hope this event will grow into a competition in which students from other universities in Jeollabuk-do can participate."

In the opening remarks, Han Kang-wook, Chair of the Department of Political Science and Diplomacy, which organized the entire competition, said, "There is a need to address the issues of regional extinction and interregional imbalance by increasing interest in the land and communities where we live." He added, "I hope our students will take a leading role in solving social problems in Korea through this opportunity."