The Only Eligible County in South Chungcheong
Emerging as the Optimal Site Thanks to Innovation Amid Crisis
Cheongyang County in South Chungcheong Province is making every effort to attract the government's pilot project for basic income in rural and fishing communities.
Last year, the population of Cheongyang County fell below 30,000, making the risk of extinction a reality. Through this project, the county has brought out a turnaround card to transform this crisis into an opportunity.
According to the county, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs has allocated 170.3 billion won in next year's budget and plans to select six counties out of 69 nationwide between September and October to provide residents with a basic income of 150,000 won per month.
In particular, local governments with populations under 40,000 are being given priority, and in South Chungcheong Province, Cheongyang, with a population of 29,122, is effectively the only candidate.
The county has been classified as the highest risk grade in the regional extinction risk index announced by the Korea Employment Information Service, ranking 199th out of 228 cities, counties, and districts nationwide, highlighting its challenging circumstances.
However, during the 7th and 8th popularly elected administrations, the county secured the financial foundation by winning 263 competitive projects totaling 567 billion won, and attracted eight provincial-level public institutions to the South Chungcheong area, creating jobs and revitalizing the region, thus presenting solutions to overcome the crisis.
Additionally, through its food plan policy, the county has established a virtuous cycle system encompassing the production, processing, distribution, and consumption of agricultural products, becoming a benchmarking model for local governments nationwide. It has also built a welfare and healthcare foundation to respond to a super-aged society by expanding integrated senior care systems and recruiting more specialists at the public health center.
Furthermore, the county is accelerating the discovery of future growth engines, such as developing the Jeongsan Fairy Tale Vitality Town, constructing the South Chungcheong Provincial Park Golf Course, and expanding sports marketing.
The county expects this basic income pilot project to be a turning point for improving Cheongyang's population structure and stabilizing residents' lives. It is anticipated that this will not only provide simple support but also serve as an opportunity to establish a sustainable rural model.
County Governor Kim Dongon stated, "Cheongyang is a high-risk area for population extinction, but we have turned crises into opportunities and led the nation. This basic income pilot project is a golden opportunity for Cheongyang to reverse its fortunes and create tangible change for all residents."
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