"Relief Amid Soaring Oil Prices"... Haenam County to Make Early Payment of Public Benefit Allowance for Farmers and Fishers

KRW 700,000 Per Recipient… Entire KRW 10.5 Billion Issued in Haenam Sarang Gift Certificates
Benefits Expanded to Fishers and Foresters… Available for Collection from the Afternoon of the 21st

Haenam County in South Jeolla Province has decided to make an early payment of the 'Public Benefit Allowance for Farmers and Fishers' as a measure to help rural communities overcome the crisis brought on by soaring oil and raw material prices.

On April 17, Haenam County announced that it would start distributing a total of KRW 10.5 billion in public benefit allowances to 15,011 farmers, fishers, and foresters in the region starting from the 21st. This year, the allowance per person has been raised to KRW 700,000, an increase of KRW 100,000 compared to last year. The full amount of the support will be issued in 'Haenam Sarang Gift Certificates,' a local currency, which is expected to benefit not only farms entering the busy farming season but also the stagnating local economy.

Aerial View of Haenam County Office

This decision to expedite payments is a proactive measure by the county to minimize the management burden on farming and fishing households who are suffering from both the recent spike in international oil prices due to heightened tensions in the Middle East and the rising costs of farming supplies.

Residents confirmed as eligible for the allowance can receive it by visiting their local Nonghyup branch with valid identification (such as a resident registration card, driver's license, or passport) from 4 p.m. on the 21st.

To prevent congestion at distribution points and ensure swift payment, the county will operate designated distribution periods by township and village. Recipients can avoid waiting times by checking the designated date for their village in advance and visiting accordingly. The public benefit allowance for farmers and fishers is rooted in the 'Farmer's Allowance,' which Haenam County pioneered nationwide in 2019 to preserve and enhance the public value of agriculture and rural communities.

As the effectiveness of the program has been demonstrated, its scope has now been widely expanded to include fishers and foresters. For smooth implementation, the county accepted applications from business operators starting on February 19, conducted thorough eligibility verification, and finalized the list of recipients.

A county official stated, "We hope that the swift payment of the public benefit allowance for farmers and fishers will help alleviate, even if only slightly, the hardships faced by farming and fishing households."

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