Gyeongju City Achieves Success After Six Years... Selected for "2026 Vulnerable Rural Area Living Conditions Improvement Project" Competition

On July 17, the city of Gyeongju announced that Gacheok Village in Sinpyeong 2-ri, Geoncheon-eup, had been finally selected for the "2026 Vulnerable Area Living Conditions Improvement Project" competition, organized by the Presidential Committee for Balanced National Development.

The "Vulnerable Area Living Conditions Improvement Project" is a national public project that aims to improve the quality of life for residents in rural and fishing areas with poor residential environments. It does so by expanding living infrastructure and improving housing conditions to ensure residents are guaranteed a minimum quality of life.

Gacheok Village Panorama

To be selected for this competition, Gyeongju City faithfully carried out preliminary procedures starting in January, including demand surveys, resident information sessions, village meetings, and benchmarking advanced sites. As a result, Gacheok Village was among 85 districts selected from a total of 150 applicants nationwide.

Following this selection, the city plans to invest a total project budget of 1.45 billion won (including 1 billion won in national funding) over four years from 2026 to 2029. The project will comprehensively improve living conditions throughout the village, including the expansion and maintenance of living, sanitation, and safety infrastructure, the renovation of vacant houses, the improvement of slate roofs, and the operation of human care programs.

Previously, Gyeongju City last participated in this competition in 2019 with the Cheonchon-ri project in Seomyeon. Being selected again after six years is seen as the result of the city administration's ongoing efforts to improve vulnerable rural areas.

Joo Nakyoung, Mayor of Gyeongju, stated, "Through this project, we expect a dramatic improvement in the living conditions for residents who have long suffered from poor housing and insufficient living infrastructure," adding, "We will continue to develop and implement tailored policies and projects to improve the quality of life for residents in vulnerable rural areas."