Hamyang County Achieves A Grade in Ministry of the Interior and Safety Local Extinction Response Fund Assessment

Secured 44.2 Billion Won in Basic Funds Over Five Years
Second Largest Amount in the Province

Hamyang County in South Gyeongsang Province announced on December 8 that it had achieved an A grade in the "2026 Ministry of the Interior and Safety Local Extinction Response Fund Assessment" released on December 3, securing a fund of 8 billion won.

Including this assessment, the county has secured a total of 44.2 billion won in local extinction response funds from 2022 to 2026, the second-largest amount in South Gyeongsang Province. The Local Extinction Response Fund is a resource distributed nationwide on a scale of 1 trillion won, with the Ministry of the Interior and Safety evaluating annual investment plans from 2022 to 2031 to support region-led responses to the local extinction crisis.

The county is actively utilizing the Local Extinction Response Fund to implement 11 projects, including improving residential conditions, providing housing support, creating industries and jobs, and expanding the resident population through the revitalization of stay-type tourism.

Aerial view of Hamyang County Office.

To address the welfare and cultural needs of its residents, Hamyang County is constructing the "Nui Center" within the county office by 2026. In addition, it is operating the "Rural Utopia Promotion Group," which includes local residents, government officials, and experts, to develop customized strategies to address local extinction.

Meanwhile, to help local residents and newcomers such as young people, newlyweds, and the baby boomer generation settle stably, the county is promoting various housing support projects: the "Walk-in Hamyang Project" (48 units), "Garden & Cafe Along the Baekdudaegan with Youth" (12 units), "Four Seasons (Year-Round) Worker Dormitory" (remodeling of 19 rooms in the former Moel building), and "Welcome House" (remodeling of 60 vacant houses).

Hamyang County is also implementing various policies to expand job opportunities and support entrepreneurship for local youth and residents. These include the "My Own Five-Star Hotel" project, which establishes long-term rental campgrounds; the "Dream in Hamyang, Wild Ginseng" project, which supports manufacturing and processing facilities for agricultural and forestry products; and the "Special Guarantee Project for Business Support in Depopulation Areas," which provides interest subsidies for small and medium-sized enterprise facility and operating funds, thereby strengthening the local industrial base.

These initiatives are expected to invigorate the local economy and lead to sustainable job creation, thereby expanding the foundation for population settlement.

Beyond simply attracting visitors, the county is also focusing on expanding the "resident population" through the engagement of "relationship population"-people who maintain ongoing ties with the region. A prime example is the successful operation of the "Climb GO Hamyang" mountain completion certification project, which connects 15 famous mountains, encouraging repeat visits and boosting local consumption to increase the resident population.

Additionally, the county is running the "Social Trip IN Hamyang," an ESG-based experiential travel program linked with traditional Hanok accommodations. By encouraging participation from foreigners and influencers, the county is actively enhancing the value of the Hamyang brand through viral marketing.

Going forward, Hamyang County plans to further expand stay-type tourism content utilizing local resources, converting one-time visitors into relationship population, and ultimately establishing a virtuous cycle that leads to long-term relocation and settlement.

Meanwhile, to overcome the crisis of local extinction, Hamyang County has secured an additional 11.8 billion won in regional funds through the South Gyeongsang Province assessment from 2022 to 2025, in addition to the basic fund through the Ministry of the Interior and Safety assessment. These funds are being used to implement seven projects, including "Gyeongnam Villa." As of the end of November 2025, the overall execution rate of the basic fund stands at 52%, with two out of eleven projects completed and nine projects progressing smoothly according to annual plans.

Lee Yangsuk, Director of Population Policy, stated, "The Local Extinction Response Fund is a valuable resource that enables us to carry out essential projects to overcome the crisis of local extinction. We will do our utmost to promptly complete the ongoing fund projects aimed at increasing our county's population and to continue identifying new projects to secure the maximum possible funding in the future."