Ulsan City, Apply for the 2025 Basic Public Interest Direct Payment

Non-face-to-face Applications in February, In-person Applications from March to April
Average 5% Increase in Area-based Direct Payment Rates Starting This Year

Ulsan City will accept applications for the ‘2025 Basic Public Interest Direct Payment’ from February 1 to April 30 through non-face-to-face methods (online and phone) and at the administrative welfare centers of the towns, townships, and neighborhoods where the farmland is located.

The public interest direct payment system was introduced in 2020 to enhance the public functions of agriculture and rural areas and to support income stability for farmers. Direct payments are made to farmers who meet certain qualifications and comply with the required conditions.

Until last year, area-based direct payments provided support ranging from 1 million to 2.05 million KRW per hectare, depending on whether the farmland was paddy or dry fields and whether it was in a promotion area.

Starting this year, the payment rate has been increased by an average of 5%, with payments ranging from 1.36 million to 2.15 million KRW per hectare. However, the small-scale farmer direct payment remains the same as last year, at 1.3 million KRW per household.

Applications for the public interest direct payment can be made non-face-to-face using a smartphone or phone, or by visiting the administrative welfare center of the town, township, or neighborhood where the farmland is located.

Non-face-to-face applications using smartphones or phones are only available to farmers whose agricultural management entity registration information has not changed this year compared to last year’s public interest direct payment information.

The application period for non-face-to-face applicants is from February 1 to 23, and application guidance messages will be sent to eligible farmers via smartphones or other means.

In-person applications are available to all qualified farmers other than those eligible for non-face-to-face applications, including new applicants, out-of-area cultivators, and those with changes in agricultural management information. Applications will be accepted at the relevant towns, townships, and neighborhoods from March 4 to April 30.

If farmland spans multiple towns, townships, or neighborhoods, applicants should visit the administrative welfare center in the administrative district with the largest farmland area. Farmers eligible for non-face-to-face applications who fail to apply in February can also apply in person during this period.

After the direct payment registration application period ends, Ulsan City plans to issue registration certificates to applicants between May and June.

From May to September, on-site inspections will be conducted to verify compliance with the required conditions, and in October, the list of recipients and payment amounts will be finalized. Based on these results, payments will begin in November.

An official from Ulsan City stated, “Since this year marks the first increase in the area-based direct payment rate, we hope that farmers will fully understand the eligibility requirements, compliance conditions, and precautions for receiving the public interest direct payment and apply without omission to help stabilize their income.”

Ulsan City Hall.

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