(가칭) 「청소년 통일체험교육기관의 설립 및 지원에 관한 법률」의 제정방향 - 민주시민교육에 바탕을 둔 통일교육을 중심으로 -

The Unification Education Support Act prescribes a legal basis for unification education for schools and public officials. At the regional level, however, the National Institute for Unification Education provides education by designating a regional unification education center. Moreover, the institution is responsible for both social and school unification education. Unification Education at schools is a holistic effort of involved institutions such as the Ministry of Unification, the Ministry of Education, local governments, and the Office of Education. The Center for Unified Korean Future has enriched theoretical education by offering hands-on experiences of a unified Korea. Unfortunately, as of 2022, the center is the only place nationally that runs youth programs. Unification education for adults, on the other hand, is partially managed by the aforementioned regional institution. Learning opportunities are limited due to budgetary issues and compared to youth programs of the Center for Unified Korean Future, there is no public organization that conducts unification experience programs. This research suggests to extend the function of the Center for Unified Korean Future to cover adult programs and to establish an additional institution that offers a wide range of hands-on activities in the area of high demand. In addition, it proposes to make unification experience activities that are limited to students available to the general public. In the case of unification education for adults, the necessity of an experience-based education rather than a theory-centered education is emphasized. Regarding the theoretical basis, unification education based on fostering democratic citizenship is stressed. Moreover, compared to youth education, there are different aspects of education for the general population. Therefore, the Center for Unified Korean Future should tentatively offer unification programs for adults in the short term. For the medium and long term, the paper argues for an establishment of a new organization that promotes youth programs and a change in pedagogical methods regardless of age for the post-covid era.