Uiryeong County Wins Ministry of the Interior and Safety Minister's Award at Regional Innovation Expo

‘On the Way to Toegye's In-Laws’ Selected as Excellent Project, Secures 1 Billion KRW in Special Grants

Uiryeong County in Gyeongnam announced on the 27th that its “Healing Village Local Study Abroad on the Way to Toegye Teacher’s In-Laws’ House” project was selected as an outstanding case in the “Come Back to Hometown” initiative at the 2024 Korea Regional Economy Innovation Expo held recently at Daegu EXCO, and received the Minister of the Interior and Safety Award.

The “Come Back to Hometown” contest project is a new population policy aimed at revitalizing local areas by expanding the living population, in response to the rapidly changing external environment such as the risk of local extinction and increased population mobility.

Uiryeong County Receives Award for Revitalizing Local Economy through Hometown Olrae Program.
[Image provided by Uiryeong County]

Uiryeong County submitted the “Healing Village on the Way to Toegye Teacher’s In-Laws’ House” project in the GOHyangALLLai (GO鄕ALL來) local study abroad category, and after document and on-site evaluations, it was the only project in Gyeongnam to be finally selected in July. The county secured a total project budget of 2 billion KRW, including 1 billion KRW in special grants and 100 million KRW in provincial funds.

“Local study abroad” refers to a program where students living in cities transfer to schools in the region for at least six months, and all or part of the students’ families move to the area to live together, with support for residential facilities and various local programs.

Uiryeong County plans to build six rental housing units (A=600㎡) on idle land in Garye-myeon, aiming to attract external population inflow by creating a residential environment that reflects the characteristics of the region.

County Governor Oh Tae-wan said, “Through the successful small school revitalization project, we are increasing the resident population, and with this new project, we will establish local study abroad living infrastructure to attract a more settled living population and further boost the local economy.”