Jeonbuk National University (JBNU) Department of Political Science and Diplomacy students proposed an ordinance to alleviate food deserts in Jeongeup City and recently won the Top Prize at the '2025 Korean Political Science Association University Student Ordinance Competition' held at Seoul National University.

The competition, organized by the Korean Political Science Association, was designed to foster regional social innovation by identifying local issues from the perspective of university students and proposing solutions. It also aimed to strengthen local governance capacity and open diverse career paths, such as policy support officer roles in local councils.

The competition invited university students nationwide to select one basic local government area and draft an ordinance for enactment or amendment covering any area of local legislation, including politics, administration, economy, culture, welfare, urban planning, construction, public diplomacy, councils, and committee systems.

Eight teams advanced to the finals, and the team of An Ji-yeon (Class of 2024), Department of Political Science and Diplomacy, JBNU, and Kim Seong-ju (Class of 2025), Social Sciences, received the Top Prize for their on-site ordinance presentation.

The students' proposed 'Ordinance to Alleviate Food Deserts and Support Local Coexistence in Jeongeup City' included measures to reduce the physical, economic, and informational gaps that limit food access for vulnerable residents and to establish an institutional framework for the stable support of disadvantaged groups.

In particular, it was evaluated as a community-based policy model that offers a feasible, locally tailored implementation plan for Jeongeup City while also being applicable to addressing food desert issues nationwide.

An Ji-yeon said, "While preparing for the competition, I gave deep thought to the food desert problem and kept considering what we could change for the local community and society as a whole. The belief that small changes by local governments can contribute to transforming provinces and eventually the entire country gave me great strength. Thanks to the careful guidance and advice of my department professors, it was a meaningful time in which I learned a great deal." 

Kim Seong-ju also said, "I personally learned that the process of consulting and coordinating with various stakeholders before and after the enactment of an ordinance is itself politics. Through this experience, my desire to explore politics more deeply has grown, and it has strengthened my resolve to pursue studies in the Department of Political Science and Diplomacy."