Jinan County Begins First Payment of '150,000 Won Monthly Basic Income for Rural Areas'

Minister Song Miryung and Mayor Jeon Chunsung Personally Process Card Payments

Jinan County in North Jeolla Province has embarked on a new experiment intended to support both local residents’ livelihoods and invigorate the regional economy, as it begins the first payment under the Basic Income for Rural Areas pilot program. On August 31, Jinan County held the ‘First Encounter with the Basic Income for Rural Areas’ event at the plaza of the Jinan-eup Local Food Direct Market, distributing a prepaid card worth 300,000 won per person, which combines the July and August payments. Song Miryung, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, personally attended the event to celebrate the launch of the initiative.

On the 30th, Song Miryung, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, and Jeon Chunsung, Jinan County Governor, personally affixed the 'Rural Basic Income Affiliate Store Sticker' at the entrance of the Jinan Local Food Direct Store and then transformed into the store's 'Daily Cashier' to meet consumers directly. Provided by Jinan County Office

The Basic Income for Rural Areas is being implemented as a pilot project through a public contest by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. Jinan County plans to provide eligible local residents with 150,000 won each month, loaded onto a prepaid card that can be used exclusively at participating stores within the region, ensuring that the funds are spent locally.

At the commemorative ceremony, Minister Song, Jinan County Mayor Jeon Chunsung, Jinan County Council Chairman Kim Myung-gap, and Jeon Yongtae, a councilor from North Jeolla Province, along with other county councilors, attended and shared the significance of the project with local residents. After the ceremony, the 'Our Neighborhood Ppamang Market' was held at the Local Food Direct Market plaza. Small business owners from the townships participated in 15 special booths, selling local specialties and daily necessities.

Minister Song and Mayor Jeon personally placed the ‘Basic Income for Rural Areas Affiliate Store Sticker’ at the Local Food Direct Market, then took on the roles of one-day cashiers to greet residents.

The two officials processed payments for local agricultural and specialty products purchased by residents, with transactions made using the Ppamang Card, allowing them to observe how the basic income is used in actual retail settings. They also listened to the residents’ hopes for the project and suggestions for further revitalizing the regional economy.

Particular attention is being paid to the potential real economic effects, as the basic income for rural areas is designed not to merely provide cash but to encourage spending within the community. In rural areas facing population decline and aging demographics, where the local consumer market is shrinking, if the distributed income is spent at local shops, restaurants, and agricultural goods markets, it could create a new cycle between residents’ incomes and the vitality of local businesses.

Jeon Chunsung, Mayor of Jinan County, stated, “The Basic Income for Rural Areas goes beyond simple cash-oriented welfare and will become a catalyst for win-win progress between small business owners and residents, helping to revitalize the regional economy. I hope the Ppamang Card will serve as a stepping stone toward overcoming the crisis of regional depopulation and building a basic society in Jinan, where it is good to raise children and where young people want to return.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.