"Family of Four to Receive 1.2 Million Won" Yeoncheon County to Make First Rural Basic Income Payment at End of March

Government to Complete Project Feasibility Review by January
Retroactive Payments for February to Be Made in March

On December 23, Yeoncheon County in Gyeonggi Province announced that preparations for the county-wide distribution of the "Rural Basic Income Pilot Program," which aims to stabilize the incomes of residents in rural and fishing communities facing population decline and to revitalize the local economy and community, are proceeding smoothly.

Aerial view of Yeoncheon County Office. Provided by Yeoncheon County.

Since December 15, Yeoncheon County has concentrated its administrative resources for two weeks, accepting applications at 21 counters across 12 locations. So far, more than 51% of county residents have applied.

To prevent confusion at the application counters, the county introduced a numbered ticket system for each counter to clarify the flow of applicants and deployed volunteers to assist elderly residents with filling out and submitting applications, thereby reducing waiting times and minimizing inconvenience for residents.

Meanwhile, in the nine other counties selected for the pilot program, excluding Yeoncheon County, initial plans to accept applications in December have been delayed due to difficulties in reaching an agreement on regional financial cost-sharing. As a result, application submissions are now expected to begin in January.

A Yeoncheon County official stated, "The government initially planned to distribute payments in January 2026, but due to delays in the project feasibility review, the implementation date has been pushed to February 2026, and retroactive payments are scheduled for the end of March."

In this case, a family of four will receive a total of 1.2 million won in local gift certificates at the end of March (600,000 won for February + 600,000 won for March).

Additionally, Yeoncheon County plans to organize a dedicated investigation team to prevent fraudulent claims and will thoroughly manage those who receive benefits through false residency registration by verifying actual residence.

If fraudulent claims, illegal distribution, or other violations are detected, recipients will be subject to recovery of the support amount, penalty surcharges (up to five times the amount), compulsory collection, and legal sanctions.

The "Rural Basic Income Pilot Program" is a project that provides local gift certificates worth 150,000 won per month to residents (those who are registered and have lived for more than 30 days in the relevant county) in ten counties designated as population decline areas through a public contest.