"Transformed Rural Village"... Haenam County Wins Grand Prize at Manifesto Competition

Attracting Attention for Overcoming Population Decline
through the 'Save Small Schools Project'

Haenam County in South Jeolla Province announced on the 28th that it had received the Grand Prize at the '2025 National Basic Local Government Manifesto Best Practices Competition'.

This competition is an event designed to share outstanding policy achievements by local governments across the country. This year, 191 cases advanced to the finals and competed in seven categories: economic and industrial support, reduction of inequality, response to demographic changes, safety and disaster management, climate and environmental ecology, social capital, and community strengthening.

Haenam County in Jeonnam won the Grand Prize at the "2025 National Basic Local Government Heads Manifesto Best Practice Competition." Photo by Haenam County

The finals, held on July 23-24 at Kyungpook National University, were co-hosted by the Korea Manifesto Implementation Headquarters and the Gyeongbuk Research Institute. Haenam County presented its 'Save Small Schools Project' under the theme 'Would You Like to Come Study at Ttangkkeut Haenam Where Dreams Grow?' as a response to the crisis of population decline, and received the Grand Prize.

This project was recognized for remodeling abandoned vacant houses to provide housing for families transferring their children to small schools, and for creating a model that revitalizes the region by linking education, housing, and employment. In particular, high marks were given for establishing a residential platform that combines public rental housing with living SOC, operating community programs to facilitate communication between new arrivals and existing residents, and implementing a sustainable community model jointly created by the administration, educational institutions, and residents.

The Save Small Schools Project has led to actual population inflow and settlement, revitalizing the local community and attracting increasing interest from other local governments and external stakeholders. Through exchanges between new arrivals and local residents, community cohesion has been strengthened, and the project is receiving positive feedback as a new rural model that integrates education, housing, and culture.

The county has established itself as a model case for fulfilling pledges, having received awards at the Manifesto Best Practices Competition for three consecutive years from 2019 to 2021, and again last year and this year.

In addition, since the 7th popularly elected administration, Haenam has received the highest 'SA' grade for 'seven consecutive years' in pledge implementation and information disclosure evaluations, the only such record in South Jeolla Province, demonstrating a trustworthy administration that faithfully fulfills its promises to residents.

County Governor Myung Hyun-kwan said, "Winning the Grand Prize at this competition, following the highest grade in pledge implementation evaluation, is the result of our efforts to keep our promises to the residents during the 8th popularly elected administration. We will continue to boost regional vitality centered on small schools and proactively respond to demographic changes to build a sustainable Haenam."

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