Securing 54.4 Billion KRW for Rural Space Improvement
and 10.8 Billion KRW for Living Condition Renovation Projects
As Hapcheon County in South Gyeongsang Province enters its eighth popularly elected administration, the county is focusing on implementing more practical support and policies for rural communities facing a super-aged society. In particular, the county is making every effort to attract projects from the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs aimed at improving rural settlement conditions.
The "Rural Agreement" is a system in which Hapcheon County establishes a local development plan to achieve policy objectives such as improving rural settlement conditions, boosting economic vitality, and revitalizing local communities. Through an agreement between the government and Hapcheon County, a framework for policy cooperation is established, and both central and local governments invest together to implement projects that provide high-quality living services accessible to all residents, regardless of location.
Following the selection of a 37.2 billion KRW project in 2022, Hapcheon County was once again selected for the Rural Agreement (Southern Area Revitalization Region) announced by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs on May 7, securing 42 billion KRW in national and provincial funding. This is expected to inject new vitality into the stagnant southern region (Ssangbaek, Samga, and Gahoe-myeon) over the next five years.
Residents of Samga-myeon expressed their delight, saying, "The issue of the township office site will be resolved, and the multipurpose gymnasium and Nuri Center have long been cherished projects for Samga-myeon residents. These facilities will serve as venues where all generations, from young children to the elderly, can come together to enjoy sports and cultural exchanges."
In the 2022 Rural Space Improvement Project contest organized by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, Sachon-ri in Gayamyeon and Deokchon-ri in Gahoemyeon were selected. In 2024, Habin 1-gu in Yaromyeon was chosen, and in 2025, the Ungi District in Myosan-myeon was selected, securing a total project budget of 54.4 billion KRW.
The "Rural Space Improvement Project" is designed to renovate livestock sheds, factories, vacant houses, and long-abandoned buildings in rural villages. Through new regeneration projects on the renovated sites, the project aims to efficiently manage rural spaces and improve settlement environments. By addressing elements that have damaged the residential environment and hindered village development, and by installing living service facilities needed by residents on the improved sites, the project is expected to significantly enhance both the living environment and the overall image of the region.
Since the start of the eighth administration, Hapcheon County has achieved success in the area of improving living conditions in vulnerable regions, with five villages selected for new district contests totaling 10.8 billion KRW. The selected villages are Geosan Village in Myosan-myeon, Dori Village in Daeyang-myeon, Sonmok 1-gu Village in Yongju-myeon, and Gwanki and Dook Village in Myosan-myeon.
The "Living Condition Improvement Project for Vulnerable Rural Areas" is a comprehensive initiative targeting villages with poor settlement conditions due to disaster risks and sanitation issues. It supports the expansion of living infrastructure, improvement of residential environments, and enhancement of residents' capabilities. In particular, villages urgently needing improvements to slate buildings and aging homes are selected at the administrative district level to create safe and pleasant residential environments.
Hapcheon County has been expanding its success stories in rural regional development by securing a total project budget of 270.9 billion KRW for general agricultural and fishing village development projects. These include 10 rural center revitalization projects, 11 creative village-making projects at the district level, 16 creative village-making projects at the village level, 12 rural and fishing village living condition improvement projects, 10 basic living hub projects, one rural river restoration project, nine creative village-making autonomous development projects, three rural space improvement projects, nine Green Hope Village projects, and nine Happy Hapcheon and Hope Village projects.
Kim Yooncheol, Mayor of Hapcheon County, stated, "We have been promoting various rural development projects to improve rural settlement conditions. In particular, with the selection for the Rural Agreement project, we will implement comprehensive projects in the southern region to enhance residents' convenience and expect a significant increase in the inflow of rural population."
He added, "We will continue to actively pursue the attraction of public projects and tirelessly discover initiatives that suit our local circumstances, thereby improving rural settlement conditions and invigorating the inflow of returnees and new rural residents."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
