Jeongeup City to Distribute "Rice Paddy Agriculture Environmental Conservation and Field Agriculture Direct Payments"

A Total of 1.445 Billion Won to Be Distributed
"Addressing Income Disparities Among Farming Households"

Jeongeup City in North Jeolla Province will begin distributing a total of 1.445 billion won in "Rice Paddy Agriculture Environmental Conservation Direct Payment" (provincial funds) and "Field Agriculture Direct Payment" (provincial and city funds) in phases starting from December 23, 2025.

Jeongeup City Hall exterior. Provided by Jeongeup City

According to the city, this direct payment support has been established to preserve the public value of agriculture and address income disparities among farming households. The recipients are farmers residing in the province who cultivate at least 1,000 square meters of rice paddies or fields on farmland eligible for the "Basic Public Interest Direct Payment Program."

The city plans to deposit the support funds directly into the farmers' accounts after verifying their bank details through the administrative welfare centers in each town, township, or neighborhood corresponding to the applicant's registered address.

The payment rates are determined according to the type of crop cultivation. For rice paddy agriculture, the direct payment is set at 132,000 won per hectare, with a maximum of 3 hectares (396,000 won) per recipient. For field agriculture, support is provided up to a maximum of 1 hectare (70,000 won).

To ensure fair and transparent distribution, the city conducted eligibility verification for both farmland and farmers under the Basic Public Interest Direct Payment Program, and finalized the list of recipients through thorough compliance checks and confirmation procedures. As a result, in the rice paddy agriculture sector, 1.261 billion won will be distributed to 9,252 recipients (9,553 hectares), and in the field agriculture sector, 184 million won will be distributed to 7,680 recipients (2,634 hectares), respectively.

The city expects that this direct payment will provide tangible support to local farming households facing operational difficulties due to rising agricultural material costs.

Mayor Lee Haksoo stated, "I hope that the distribution of direct payments for rice paddy agriculture and other programs will support farmers who steadfastly protect the agricultural sector and rural communities, even in challenging circumstances both domestically and internationally."