This Year, Over 1.15 Million Applications for Basic Public Service Direct Payments Received... Payment in November

[Asia Economy Sejong=Reporter Kim Hyewon] The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs announced on the 22nd that the number of applications for the Basic Public Interest Direct Payment (Direct Payment) this year was counted at about 1.15 million cases.

This year, in addition to in-person applications, online applications were accepted for the first time, with about 22.6% (approximately 260,000 people) applying online.

With the application and reception for the public interest direct payment completed, the Ministry plans to use a verification system to confirm the accuracy of the information submitted by farmers and check whether the eligibility requirements for payment of farmland, farmers, and small-scale farm direct payments stipulated in the "Act on the Operation of Direct Payment System for the Promotion of Agricultural and Rural Public Interest Functions" are met. Afterwards, the recipients and amounts will be finalized in October and payments are scheduled for November.

The Ministry also plans to conduct focused inspections from July to September on farmers' compliance with requirements such as maintaining farmland shape and function and adhering to safe pesticide use standards.

If non-compliance is determined based on the inspection results, 5% or 10% of the total public interest direct payment will be reduced for each compliance item, and if the same compliance item is repeatedly violated in both last year and this year, the reduction rate for this year will be applied at double.

Park Sujin, Director of Food Policy at the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, said, "We will continue to improve the direct payment management system so that direct payments can be made to actual cultivators."