Yeongdeok-gun Holds Completion Report Meeting for Comprehensive Plan to Revitalize Social Economy

Review of 19 Projects in 5 Areas of Social Economy Promotion Models

Yeongdeok-gun, Gyeongbuk Province, held a "Comprehensive Plan for the Revitalization of Social Economy in Yeongdeok-gun (2024?2028) Research Service Completion Report Meeting" at 2 p.m. on the 24th in the large conference room of the public health center, attended by about 10 people including members of the Social Economy Promotion Committee and officials from the Social Enterprise Growth Support Center.

Yeongdeok-gun held a comprehensive plan completion report meeting for the activation of the social economy.

This service was conducted to establish a mid- to long-term development plan for the revitalization of the local social economy in accordance with the "Ordinance on the Promotion and Support of Social Economy in Yeongdeok-gun." The Social Enterprise Support Center "Jiyeokwa Social B" located in Gyeongsan-si, Gyeongbuk Province, was in charge and began planning in May.

At the completion report meeting, a Yeongdeok-type social economy promotion model consisting of 19 projects in 5 areas was proposed by collecting opinions from local residents, social economy enterprises, and experts. The Yeongdeok-gun Social Economy Promotion Committee, composed of local social economy experts, reviewed and advised on the overall comprehensive plan for social economy revitalization.

In addition, to realize the Yeongdeok-gun Social Economy Vision 2028, "Brilliant Yeongdeok-gun Social Economy with the Rising East Sea," strategies were selected to focus on discovering social economy models suitable for local conditions, establishing a Yeongdeok-type social economy support system, and promoting the Yeongdeok-gun social economy "One Step Closer, Into the Residents." Eleven detailed promotion tasks were also selected.

County Governor Kim Gwang-yeol said, "By establishing and faithfully implementing a comprehensive plan for the revitalization of the local social economy, we expect to solve pressing issues such as aging population and population decline, as well as social problems, contributing to regional revitalization through job creation and alleviation of polarization." He added, "We will do our utmost to create an environment where competitive social economy enterprises can start and grow."

Social economy refers to economic activities that pursue social values by viewing the economy from a social perspective. It emerged in Europe and the United States in the early 1800s to address various economic imbalances caused by the development of market economies.

In South Korea, related laws such as the Social Enterprise Promotion Act and the Framework Act on Cooperatives were enacted in 2007, and social economy enterprises such as social enterprises, cooperatives, and village enterprises are active.

Yeongdeok-gun has been striving to revitalize the social economy by enacting the Ordinance on the Promotion and Support of Social Economy in 2017. Currently, there are six certified social enterprises, one preliminary social enterprise, three village enterprises, six social cooperatives, and eighteen cooperatives operating as social economy enterprises.