County Governor Kang Jin-won Details Policies and Achievements Addressing Local Extinction
Fuso, Empty House Remodeling, Kangjin-style Childcare Allowance Emerge as National Role Models
Minister Lee Pledges to Promote and Support Outstanding Local Extinction Response Policies Nationwide
Minister of the Interior and Safety Lee Sang-min visited Gangjin-gun, Jeollanam-do on the 16th to encourage Gangjin-gun's pioneering local extinction response policies and promised unwavering support.
He especially stated that the Ministry of the Interior and Safety would disseminate and expand Gangjin-gun's excellent cases nationwide, receiving positive responses from local residents attending the minister's schedule.
According to the county on the 17th, Minister Lee Sang-min was accompanied by the Vice Minister, spokesperson, Director of the Balanced Development Support Bureau, and about 10 reporters from telecommunications companies, major national daily newspapers, economic newspapers, and broadcasting stations covering the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, indicating that this visit was a highly meaningful schedule for the government ministry.
Gangjin-gun Mayor Gang Jin-won actively explained Gangjin-gun's advanced cases to Minister Lee during the 'Gangjin-gun Local Extinction Response Progress Report' held at a street in Byeongyeong-myeon, Gangjin-gun in the afternoon.
(On the left) Gang Jin-won, the governor of Gangjin County, is explaining to Lee Sang-min, the Minister of the Interior and Safety, about Gangjin County's excellent case of responding to local extinction. [Photo by Gangjin County]
First, Mayor Gang started the briefing by introducing the Gangjin Byeongyeong-myeon "Bulgeumbulpa" held every Friday night. The disappearing traditional market in Byeongyeong-myeon was reborn as "Bulgeumbulpa."
Launched last year, Bulgeumbulpa attracted over 13,000 visitors. By combining cultural tourism resources and food, it became a model case for revitalizing the myeon area, becoming a nationwide issue. Active participation by residents increased jobs, and through the utilization of tourism resources and environmental improvements, it was reborn as a tourist attraction and was selected as a must-visit place by the Korea Tourism Organization.
Along with this, he introduced the 2024 Half-Price＋ Family Travel Gangjin as a bold investment turning crisis into opportunity. He emphasized that the nation escapes crisis through export expansion and domestic demand stimulation, and local governments seek regional economic revitalization through investment in the tourism industry, with the half-price Gangjin family travel being exactly such a policy.
He also mentioned overcoming the low birthrate crisis with Gangjin-type childcare allowance, which is among the best nationwide. Regardless of the number of births, 600,000 KRW per child is paid monthly for 84 months, totaling 50.4 million KRW. Since the childcare allowance was implemented in October 2022, the birthrate increased by 65.6%, and notably, 75% of births were from residents continuously living in the area, dispelling some concerns about bringing people from neighboring regions.
Next is the FU-SO (Feeling Up-Stress-Off) project. The rural experience homestay program, Puso, started in 2015, allows the general public, public officials, and middle and high school students nationwide to stay in rural areas for a certain period and experience living tourism. There are 90 participating farms with an average annual income exceeding 10 million KRW, and some farms earn nearly 40 million KRW.
As of the end of last year, over 58,000 people have visited. As an excellent case, it was featured in the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism's promotional booklet, spreading Gangjin-gun's leading policies nationwide.
Next is the vacant house remodeling project. It is already well-known as a role model for local governments nationwide and is a benchmarking target. For long-term rental of remodeled vacant houses, if a house is rented to Gangjin-gun free of charge for 5 or 7 years, the county invests 50 million KRW or 70 million KRW respectively to remodel and use it as rental housing for urban residents.
(Fourth from the right) Lee Sang-min, Minister of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, is attending the completion ceremony of the Gangjin-gun Youth Village Shared Housing Seongha Guesthouse and cutting the ribbon. [Photo by Gangjin-gun]
For self-occupancy remodeling of vacant houses, if the applicant remodels their own vacant house to move to Gangjin-gun from another region, 50% of the construction cost up to 30 million KRW is supported. As of May, 184 households applied, 75 were selected, and among them, 45 households have completed construction.
Minister Lee visited and encouraged the Puso farm Solnamuan House in Byeongyeong-myeon, the couple Lee Sang-jun and Jeon Jin-joo who settled in a remodeled house, the first branch of "4do 3chon Byeongyeong Stay" Im Go-eun, and Kim Hyun-woo, CEO of the YouTube channel "Oji-neun Oji-da" in Byeongyeong-myeon Geochu.
Solnamuan House owner Seo Geum-deok has been conducting persimmon picking experiences mainly for students since the early days of Puso. The couple moved to Gangjin to farm Hwangchil trees.
The "Byeongyeong Village Hotel Development Project" is also noteworthy. With 1.8 billion KRW from the local extinction response fund, 20 vacant houses will be remodeled, and one hotel accommodation building will be newly constructed. The village hotel linked with urban regeneration has completed the detailed design phase.
Mayor Gang Jin-won said, "After remodeling vacant houses, through operating '4do 3chon Byeongyeong Stay' with 4 days in the city and 3 days in the countryside, young tenants and talent donation activists are already residing," adding, "It has been proven that Gangjin-gun's vacant house remodeling support project and youth inflow policy direction were correct."
He especially explained, "In the era of local extinction, we are overcoming the crisis with the 'Gangjin-type package' that simultaneously provides housing, jobs, childcare, and education," and expressed hope that Gangjin-gun's advanced policies would be reflected in the pan-government policy.
Following this, the completion ceremony of the youth village shared housing project "Seongha Guesthouse" was held in the Honggyo-ro area of Byeongyeong-myeon. The youth village development project provides new life opportunities to youth, prevents the outflow of local youth, and revitalizes the region as part of the national agenda to establish local creative communities through participation, cooperation, and innovation.
Minister Lee Sang-min said, "Gangjin-gun's excellent cases responding to local extinction show extraordinary efforts and clear results," and added, "We will actively support Gangjin-gun's leading policies and widely promote them nationwide."
Mayor Gang Jin-won emphasized, "The Minister of the Interior and Safety's visit to Gangjin is both a field confirmation and encouragement of Gangjin-gun's advanced policies so far," and expressed confidence that "since we actively requested support for Gangjin-gun's current issues, good results will follow."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
