2026 Spring
Living Lab Activities
Yonsei University,
South Korea
Course
Lecturer
Class Size
Wonju Circular Economy Living Lab:
Working with a Rural Community
Eunjung Lee
20
Wonju Circular Economy Living Lab
The Institute for Poverty Alleviation and International Development (IPAID) at Yonsei University implements the Exploring Social Issues: Wonju Circular Economy Living Lab as an extracurricular program for students at Yonsei University Mirae Campus. This rural living lab program takes place in Sinpyeong 1-ri, Jijeong-myeon, Wonju, Gangwon State, Republic of Korea. Students and local residents work together to examine the challenges of circular economy in the village and develop solutions suited to its local context.
The program promotes mutually beneficial cooperation between the university and the local community. Students gain hands-on experience in addressing real-life issues of circular economy in a rural setting such as food waste problem. Residents, in turn, draw on the students’ knowledge and ideas to examine community challenges from new perspectives and test possible solutions. In this way, the university and the village share their respective knowledge, experience, and resources.
The program has been running continuously since the Fall semester of 2025. In its first semester, students engaged with residents, investigated local issues such as recycling and reuse of plastics, and developed possible solutions. In the Spring semester of 2026, a new group of students built on these ideas and conducted field experiments. A third round will take place in the Fall semester of 2026, further developing the outcomes of the previous two semesters with a focus on the effectiveness and sustainability of the proposed solutions.
Five Thematic Areas
Group 1
The program is organized around five thematic areas that reflect the living conditions and needs of Sinpyeong 1-ri regarding circular economy. Each team works on one issue area and collaborates with residents to explore possible solutions. Students participating in the following semester build on the previous team’s work and further develop the same theme.
(1) Food Waste Management
Students examined problems in the village regarding food waste disposal. The village had no effective system of food waste management. Students first explored possible optimized locations for food waste collection. In the follow-up activities, students conducted a community-level experiment using microbial food waste processors and investigated residents’ experiences of using them.
Group 2
(2) Reuse and Recycling of Non-Food Waste
Students investigated the difficulties rural residents face in disposing of unused clothing and household appliances. They initially proposed an online platform for sharing secondhand items. The proposal was subsequently expanded to include clothing donations, in-person sharing events, and the collection of small household appliances, taking into account residents’ actual circumstances.
Group 3
(3) Waste Sorting and Resident Education
Students examined the limited number of waste collection points, difficulties of access for older residents, and illegal dumping by people from outside the village. They proposed improvements to the collection system and produced educational materials for residents. They also designed an experiment to examine how different forms of information and behavioral prompts might influence waste-sorting practices.
Group 4
(4) The Sharing Economy and Community Spaces
Students explored ways to develop the village hall into a shared space where residents could meet and interact more easily. Their proposals included a community photo board and photovoice activities through which residents could share photographs and personal stories. They also proposed collaborative activities connecting the village’s agricultural resources with university student participation.
Group 5
(5) Mutual Care among Older Residents Using Non-Material Resources
Students focused on poor nutrition and social isolation among older residents who often eat alone. They planned and implemented a “Food Day” during which residents prepared and shared a meal at the village hall. They also considered how the activity could develop into a model of mutual care in which older residents support other older members of the community.
Community-Based Learning with Students and Local Residents
Students participated not as outside volunteers providing one-way assistance, but as partners working alongside residents to address community issues. They conducted field research and resident interviews and consulted experts and relevant organizations. They also revised their initial plans in response to local conditions and residents’ feedback.
Residents likewise participated as active agents in the problem-solving process. They worked with the students to identify specific issues and assess the relevance and feasibility of proposed solutions. Some residents took on a particularly active role as mentors for individual student teams, supporting their field research and experiments.
Sustaining University-Community Collaboration
In the Wonju Circular Economy Living Lab, the work completed in one semester is carried forward into the next. Although the participating students may change, the records and findings from previous activities continue to inform subsequent work. The relationships established with residents are also maintained and developed over time.
This continuity enables the students’ work to move beyond one-time research or proposals. Ideas can be tested in the community, refined through field experience, and further developed in the following semester.
Through this program, IPAID provides students with opportunities to explore real issues facing a rural community. At the same time, it builds a foundation for sustained collaboration between the university and the village in addressing local challenges.
