The Only "Excellent Area" Selected in Jeonbuk Province
Jangsu County in Jeonbuk received the highest national rating in the "2026 Local Extinction Response Fund Project Investment Plan Final Evaluation" conducted by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety.
On December 5, the county announced that it was the only region in Jeonbuk Special Self-Governing Province to be selected as an "Excellent Area," securing a fund of 12 billion won.
Jangsu County in Jeonbuk received the highest national rating in the "2026 Local Extinction Response Fund Project Investment Plan Final Evaluation" conducted by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety. Photo by Jangsu County
This evaluation was conducted for 89 population-declining areas nationwide, and only eight regions, including Jangsu County, received the excellent rating.
The county expects that being selected as an "Excellent Area" for the second consecutive year will further accelerate the implementation of population policies across all sectors, such as supporting youth settlement and expanding rural-type resident populations, thereby establishing a stable foundation for population policy.
The Local Extinction Response Fund is a resource directly provided by the government to local governments to address the issue of regional extinction. From 2022 to 2031, the fund will be distributed differentially to population-declining areas nationwide, with a total of 1 trillion won allocated annually for ten years.
Regions with the highest (excellent) rating, such as Jangsu County, receive 12 billion won per local government. S-grade regions receive 8.8 billion won, A-grade regions receive 8 billion won, and B-grade regions receive 7.2 billion won.
After being selected among the top 20% (19 cities and counties) in the first evaluation in August, the county actively explained the current population decline in Jangsu County and the validity of next year's fund project investment strategy during the final in-person evaluation.
For next year's investment projects, the county will focus on expanding population inflow and improving settlement conditions, and will actively promote initiatives such as the creation of the K-Chamonix Trail City, the Red Food Factory Project, and customized housing projects.
In particular, the core project, the "K-Chamonix Trail City Project," aims to increase the resident population by internationalizing the Jangsu Trail Race and establishing related infrastructure.
Additionally, the county plans to establish a sustainable growth model by creating new jobs through attracting startups and businesses utilizing trail-based local resources, expanding the foundation for youth activities, and ultimately increasing the settled population.
This achievement was also significantly influenced by National Assemblyman Park Heeseung, who continuously supported the resolution of local issues through consultations with relevant central government ministries and support at the National Assembly level.
County Governor Choi Hunsik stated, "Despite challenging circumstances, we have secured national funding to strengthen our response to population decline. We will use the 12 billion won Local Extinction Response Fund as a catalyst, link it with the newly selected Rural Basic Income project, and overcome the crisis of regional extinction to create a 'Jangsu where all residents are happy.'"
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