Yeoncheon County to Begin Rural Basic Income Payments on the 27th...Regular Payments on the 27th of Every Month

Separate Payment of 50,000-Won and 100,000-Won Point Types
Improving Convenience with Real-Time Balance Inquiry Guide

Yeoncheon-gun in Gyeonggi Province announced on the 26th that it will begin sequential payments of the Rural Basic Income from 6:00 a.m. on the 27th. After that, it plans to make fixed payments on the 27th of every month.

This program follows the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs’ confirmation on the 12th of the “Guidelines for the Pilot Project on Rural Basic Income,” and therefore applies the standards set out in those guidelines for where it can be used and how much can be used (by point type). Yeoncheon-gun has been continuously requesting that these usage restrictions be eased (or lifted), but for now the program will be implemented according to the current standards.

Exterior view of Yeoncheon County Office. Photo provided by Yeoncheon County.

The Rural Basic Income will be paid in two separate point types: “General” (50,000 won per month) and “Restricted” (100,000 won per month), and remaining balances and transaction details will be displayed separately. Gas stations, convenience stores, and township-level Hanaro Mart outlets share a combined usage limit of 50,000 won, so users need to check their total remaining balance before using the points.

The payment area is divided into three zones based on resident registration address: Zone 1 (Yeoncheon-eup), Zone 2 (Jeongok-eup), and Zone 3 (the eight townships excluding the eups), and the areas where the points can be used differ by zone. Hospitals, pharmacies, private academies, and opticians can be used regardless of zone or point type, but township-level Hanaro Mart outlets, businesses with annual sales exceeding 3 billion won, and merchants not registered as affiliates cannot be used. The usage period is 90 days for residents of eups and 180 days for residents of townships, and any remaining balance will expire after the deadline.

The county will support user convenience by sending a payment notification on the 27th of every month and a balance notification service every Friday.

An official from Yeoncheon-gun said, “We expect some inconvenience due to the usage restrictions, but we ask for residents’ understanding and cooperation so that this pilot project can continue stably for more than two years.”

Balances can be checked in real time on the dedicated website, and detailed inquiries can be made at the eup or township Administrative Welfare Center with jurisdiction over one’s address.