Government to Promote Rural Regeneration Project... Average Support of 26.8 Billion Won Over 5 Years to 21 Local Governments

Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Signs 'Rural Agreement' with 21 Cities and Counties

The government has teamed up with local governments to create "Desirable Rural Areas to Live In."

On the 26th, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs signed rural agreements with 21 local governments, including Yeoju-si, Yangyang-gun, and Yesan-gun, at the Sejong Convention Center, agreeing to provide an average of 26.8 billion KRW in national funding annually over five years (2023?2027).

The rural agreement is a system in which the government and cities/counties pledge cooperation to implement regional rural spatial plans under the Act on Support for Rural Spatial Restructuring and Regeneration. Since its first implementation in 2020, a total of 53 cities and counties, including 21 this year, have been selected.

The 21 cities and counties targeted for this agreement were selected through the 2022 rural agreement public contest process. A Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs official explained, "We plan to revitalize rural living areas through projects suited to local characteristics with a sense of responsibility for rural spaces losing their rural identity due to indiscriminate development and population decline."

Most of the agreement cities and counties plan to focus on establishing basic living hubs that expand functions lacking in rural areas, such as convenience, culture, education, and care. Additionally, projects that leverage each region's uniqueness, such as our famous mountain tourism (Gurye), ceramic industry (Yeoju), and sports industry (Yeongju, Yecheon), will also be promoted.

In particular, starting this year, rural spatial maintenance projects, which receive additional support beyond the national funding limit, will be included in the agreement to effectively improve local indiscriminate development, harmful facilities, and residents' living conditions.

When the Rural Spatial Planning Act, which underpins the rural agreement, is implemented in March next year, a spatial planning system for cities and counties will be introduced, including the designation of rural specialized districts that zone certain rural areas according to their use. The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs expects that by managing rural spaces systematically and efficiently through this system, comfortable living conditions will be created for residents and attractive spaces will be provided for young people.

Jung Hwang-geun, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, said, "This agreement ceremony is the first step toward making rural areas 'valuable and desirable spaces to live in,' serving as a foundation to improve indiscriminate rural development, regenerate spaces equipped with jobs and various living convenience services, and solve the rural problems we face. I ask mayors and county heads to continue their interest and passion for the new future of rural areas."

Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Minister Jeong Hwang-geun is speaking at the Rural Agreement Ceremony held at the Sejong Convention Center on the 26th.

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