"Basic Income for Rural Areas Should Begin in All 12 Counties"

Five Counties Excluded from Pilot Project Issue Joint Statement at National Assembly
Cho Sangrae, Governor of Gokseong: "Full Expansion Needed... Government Must Make a Decisive Move"

The county governors and local members of the National Assembly from five local governments, including Gokseong, Jinan, Jangsu, Bonghwa, and Okcheon, held a joint press conference at 11 a.m. on the 29th at the National Assembly Communication Office, urging the government to secure additional budget for the "Basic Income Pilot Project for Rural Areas" and to expand the pilot regions. Provided by Gokseong County

The county governors of five local governments-Gokseong, Jinan, Jangsu, Bonghwa, and Okcheon-that were excluded during the selection process for the government's 'Basic Income Pilot Project for Rural Areas' held a joint press conference at the National Assembly Communication Office on the morning of the 29th. They called on the government to secure additional budget and expand the pilot regions, stating, "The pilot project should be fully implemented in all 12 counties that passed the first round of screening."

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs previously conducted an open call for 69 counties designated as depopulation areas, received applications from 49 counties, and selected 12 counties in the first round of document screening. However, controversy arose when only seven counties-Yeoncheon in Gyeonggi Province, Jeongseon in Gangwon Province, Cheongyang in South Chungcheong Province, Sunchang in North Jeolla Province, Shinan in South Jeolla Province, Yeongyang in North Gyeongsang Province, and Namhae in South Gyeongsang Province-were ultimately chosen for the pilot project.

Despite having passed the first round of screening, Gokseong, Jinan, Jangsu, Bonghwa, and Okcheon counties failed to make it through the final selection. They pointed out that being excluded despite having demonstrated strong policy commitment and excellent implementation plans goes against the fundamental purpose of balanced national development. They emphasized that overcoming the crisis of rural extinction cannot be achieved through experiments limited to specific regions.

The press conference was attended by Cho Sangrae, Governor of Gokseong County; Jeon Chunseong, Governor of Jinan County; Choi Hunsik, Governor of Jangsu County; Park Hyunkook, Governor of Bonghwa County; Hwang Gyucheol, Governor of Okcheon County; and local members of the National Assembly. Together, they issued a joint statement calling for: ▲ full implementation of the pilot project in all 12 counties that passed the first round of screening; ▲ strengthening policy legitimacy and public consensus through securing additional budget; ▲ transitioning to a multi-regional, simultaneous pilot operation system representing rural areas nationwide; and ▲ expanding the scale of the pilot project to a sufficient level for effective policy evaluation.

In particular, Cho Sangrae, Governor of Gokseong County, highlighted that despite Gokseong ranking fifth nationwide in the depopulation index and being a super-aged region with an elderly population of 41.4%, the county has already established robust administrative and institutional foundations over the past year to overcome local extinction and realize basic income. These efforts include enacting relevant ordinances, establishing new administrative organizations, conducting a county-wide signature campaign, and operating a task force team.

Governor Cho stated, "The sustainability of rural areas is directly linked to the sustainability of the nation. The government must include all 12 counties that passed the first round of screening as pilot project sites to reflect the diversity of rural areas and ensure the representativeness of the policy. Now, only a courageous decision from the government remains."

Gokseong County has already enacted the 'Gokseong County Basic Income Ordinance,' conducted the 'Jeonnam-type Basic Income Research Project' with South Jeolla Province, and detailed funding plans, making the county fully prepared to launch the project immediately.

The Basic Income Pilot Project for Rural Areas aims to provide local gift certificates worth 150,000 won per month to residents of the selected regions for two years, from 2026 to 2027. The project seeks to reward the public contributions of rural residents and strengthen the virtuous cycle of the local economy. It is a core task included in the national policy agenda to "introduce basic income for rural areas to overcome the crisis of extinction."

Meanwhile, Gokseong County plans to focus its administrative efforts on building a nationwide leading model for rural basic income by strengthening cooperation with South Jeolla Province and neighboring counties, engaging in policy consultations with the National Assembly and government ministries, and submitting proposals for budget inclusion.