Yeongju-si, "Prepare in Advance for Forestry and Forest Direct Payment Applications"

Online Applications: March 1 - March 31
In-Person Applications: April 1 - April 30

Yeongju City in Gyeongbuk Province will accept applications for the ‘2025 Forestry and Forest Public Direct Payment (Forestry Direct Payment)’ from March 1 to April 30.

Now in its fourth year of implementation, the forestry direct payment system was introduced to enhance the public functions of forests and support income stability for forestry workers. Accordingly, direct payments are provided to forestry workers engaged in silviculture, which involves producing forest products or planting and managing trees.

The recipients of the forestry direct payment are divided into forest product producers and silviculture workers. For forest product producers, applicants must be forestry workers who have been engaged in forest product production for at least one year (60 days or more annually) in forest areas registered as agricultural management entities from April 1, 2019, to September 30, 2022, and have an annual forest product sales amount of at least 1.2 million KRW, among other qualifications.

For silviculture, applicants must be forestry workers who have been engaged in silviculture for at least one year (60 days or more annually) in forest areas registered as agricultural management entities during the same period, have received forest management plan approval, and have at least 3 hectares of silviculture achievements over the past 10 years, among other qualifications.

Notably, this year, considering the convenience of forestry workers, the application period has been moved forward by one month and extended by one month compared to previous years. Applications can be submitted either online or in person. Online applications are accepted from March 1 to March 31 through the ‘Forestry-in Integrated Portal.’ In-person applications can be submitted by presenting the application form at the administrative welfare centers of the towns and townships where the forest areas are located from April 1 to April 30.

Detailed information regarding the forestry direct payment can be found in announcements on the websites of the Korea Forest Service or Yeongju City Hall. Additional inquiries can be made at the Forestry Division of Yeongju City Hall or the administrative welfare centers of the towns and townships where the forest areas are located. Furthermore, the Korea Forest Service operates a year-round telephone consultation center to provide guidance on forestry direct payment applications.

Geum Du-seop, head of the Forestry Division, stated, “The forestry direct payment is an important system that revitalizes forest management and supports income stability for forestry workers. We hope that by carefully checking eligibility requirements and required documents before applying, more forestry workers will be able to benefit from this program.”