Miryang-si Upgrades Population Inflow Policy Compared to Last Year

Stable and Tangible Support Program Implementation

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Wook] Miryang City in Gyeongnam is receiving positive responses by implementing upgraded customized support policies for each stage of returning to farming and rural areas compared to last year to attract population inflow.

Based on the vision of "Returning to farming where agriculture brightens, returning to rural areas where the countryside becomes younger," Miryang City plans to expand support projects in preparation and housing fields for the stable settlement of returnees to farming and rural areas, and strive to promote various demand-oriented policies.

According to Statistics Korea data, over the past three years, 5,086 households totaling 6,315 people (424 households and 536 people returning to farming, 4,662 households and 5,779 people returning to rural areas) have planned their second lives by returning to farming and rural areas in Miryang.

Miryang, known as the number one destination for returning to farming in the province, has been selected for five consecutive years in the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs' public contest project "Return to Farming and Rural Area Attraction Support Project" and is currently promoting the project. This year, it secured the largest amount of national and provincial funding among the 13 cities and counties implementing the project in Gyeongnam. This achievement was supported by various support policies promoted by the city to help returnees to farming and rural areas settle stably.

The city promotes various support projects for prospective returnees to farming and rural areas who have decided to settle in local rural areas, as well as those who have already set foot in Miryang.

First, to establish a system for prior preparation before returning to farming and rural areas, a professional One-Stop consultation service is provided through the Return to Farming and Rural Area Comprehensive Support Center website, and a local community-based rural experience program called "Living in the Countryside" will be operated. "Living in the Countryside" offers an opportunity to live in one village for 1 to 3 months, expand exchanges with local residents, and check whether they can live in the countryside and what preparations are needed, providing various options for returnees to farming and rural areas.

Also, as a support measure for temporary housing facilities, which is a major difficulty in the early stages of returning to farming, a "House for Returnees to Farming" will be established to assist their rural migration.

Close support is also provided for the farming activities of returnees. Mentoring support is offered through on-site coaching by returnee mentors to establish practical farming technology foundations, the operation of "Returnee Field Doctors" who provide on-site experience and farming advice from leading farms, and the Youth Successor Farmer Farming Settlement Support Project to support the livelihood stability and farming foundation of young returnees.

Support projects to induce the stable settlement of returnees are also promoted. For returnees experiencing economic difficulties in the early migration stage, farmland lease fees and returnee stable settlement support projects are conducted, and moving expenses support and local resident invitation event support projects are promoted to help the settlement of returnee households.

Newly established projects include initial settlement support projects that contribute to the early settlement of returnees and young farmers and the stabilization of farm income, as well as a welcome box support project that provides returnees with packages consisting of local agricultural and specialty products and guidebooks to invigorate rural life.

Miryang City plans to move beyond short-term support by developing various demand-oriented policies and programs to promote the inflow of young and middle-aged populations and revitalize local communities.

Mayor Park Il-ho said, "We will continue to revitalize Miryang's rural areas through customized support desired by returnees to farming and rural areas and implement policies reflecting their various requests."