Jinan-gun to Accept Applications for Basic Public Interest Direct Payment System Starting Next Month

Jinan County Office building. Photo by Jinan County Office

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Go Dallyeong] Jinangun, Jeonbuk announced on the 29th that from next month 1st to June 30th, applications for the newly reorganized Basic Public Interest Direct Payment Support Project will be accepted through the administrative welfare centers of towns and townships where farmland is located.

The existing rice, field, and disadvantaged condition direct payment systems have been integrated into the Basic Public Interest Direct Payment system, and applications can be made for Small-scale Farm Direct Payment (hereinafter referred to as Small Farm Direct Payment) and Area Direct Payment.

The Small Farm Direct Payment is provided annually at 1.2 million KRW regardless of area for farmland of 0.5 hectares or less to farms that meet all the following conditions.

The scope of farms eligible for Small Farm Direct Payment includes the head of household and household members registered on the resident registration card who are partially or entirely agricultural workers living in the same household. To minimize household separation for the purpose of receiving direct payments, spouses, unmarried direct descendants under 19 years old, and those who have separated households for reasons other than marriage within 3 years are considered the same household.

The Small Farm Direct Payment requires meeting the following conditions: the total area of farmland eligible for basic direct payments within the farm is 0.5 hectares or less; the total area of farmland owned by all members of the farm is less than 1.55 hectares; each basic direct payment recipient in the farm has engaged in farming for 3 years or more; each recipient has resided in rural areas for 3 years or more; each recipient’s non-agricultural comprehensive income is less than 20 million KRW; the total non-agricultural comprehensive income of all members is less than 45 million KRW; each recipient’s livestock income is less than 56 million KRW; and each recipient’s facility cultivation income is less than 38 million KRW.

If the Small Farm Direct Payment requirements are not met, the farm becomes eligible for Area Direct Payment. Based on the application area, it is divided into three sections: Section 1 (2 hectares or less), Section 2 (over 2 hectares to 6 hectares or less), and Section 3 (over 6 hectares). Then, payment rates are applied according to three categories: promotion zone paddy and field, non-promotion zone paddy, and non-promotion zone field.

Meanwhile, the Public Interest Direct Payment system has set reduction targets for pesticide and fertilizer use so that the public can feel the public interest role of agriculture and rural areas. It has also established 17 items including environmental protection, ecosystem conservation, and community revitalization, strengthening farmers’ compliance obligations.

If compliance items are not fulfilled, 10% of the total basic direct payment amount for each item will be reduced. If the same obligation is repeatedly violated in the following year, twice the previous reduction rate will be applied, with a maximum reduction rate of 40% for repeatedly violated compliance items.

A county official said, “We will strive to minimize confusion about the Public Interest Direct Payment system implemented from this year and to ensure smooth application through promotion and education.”

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