Gyeonggi Province will start providing ‘Opportunity Income for Athletes, Farmers and Fishermen, and Childcare’ from the second half of this year. The estimated number of beneficiaries for these three types of opportunity income is about 26,000.
Opportunity income began from the idea of recognizing activities that are not valued by the market but create social value, aiming to secure the sustainability of society. The policy significance of ‘opportunity income’ lies in providing individuals with the possibility or opportunity to create social value.
On the 3rd, Gyeonggi Province announced that it received notification on the 2nd from the Ministry of Health and Welfare that the consultation for establishing a social security system for opportunity income for athletes, farmers and fishermen, and childcare had been completed.
Having secured the related budget and enacted ordinances, and now completing the social security system consultation, Gyeonggi Province will begin recruiting beneficiaries and start paying opportunity income as early as July. Since the climate action opportunity income is not subject to social security system consultation, all four types of opportunity income can be paid in the second half of the year.
Regarding the progress of the four opportunity incomes, the athlete opportunity income will be paid twice a year, 1.5 million KRW annually, to 7,800 people including active athletes (professional sports) aged 19 or older residing in Gyeonggi Province with a median income of 120% or less, former athlete coaches (retired athletes, sports facility coaches, athlete managers), and referees.
Gyeonggi Province expects that this will provide value compensation for sports activities such as sustaining the lives of athletes in less popular sports. Recruitment of beneficiaries by city and county will begin in July and August.
The farmer and fisherman opportunity income will be paid 150,000 KRW per month (1.8 million KRW annually) in local currency to 17,700 people including young farmers and fishermen (under 50 years old), returning farmers and fishermen (within the last 5 years), and environmentally friendly farmers and fishermen (certified for eco-friendly, animal welfare, premium seafood, etc.).
This was prepared to recognize the value of young and returning farmers and fishermen who engage in agricultural and fishery activities amid rural aging, and environmentally friendly farmers who maintain the public functions of agriculture and fisheries. It should be noted that this cannot be combined with existing farmer and rural basic income, so applicants should be careful when applying. Recruitment by city and county will start from September to October.
The childcare opportunity income involves paying 200,000 KRW per month to 500 participants in childcare communities, such as village residents who care for children on behalf of parents. Care participants can receive opportunity income without income eligibility screening if they engage in activities for more than 30 hours per month, which is expected to activate social value activities to resolve childcare blind spots. Recruitment will begin in July.
The climate action opportunity income will provide up to 60,000 KRW annually in local currency to 100,000 residents who certify 15 carbon-neutral practice activities such as walking, cycling, and using reusable containers when ordering delivery apps.
The policy aims to recognize the social value of individual residents’ greenhouse gas reduction activities and to promote resident participation. Recruitment will start in July through an application platform (dedicated mobile app).
A Gyeonggi Province official stated, "With the enactment of ordinances and completion of social security consultations, we will focus our capabilities on the full-scale promotion and expansion of the opportunity income project."
Meanwhile, following the opportunity income for artists and persons with disabilities paid since last year, Gyeonggi Province announced that it will pay opportunity income in four fields?athletes, farmers and fishermen, childcare, and climate action?within this year.
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