Yeoncheon County Sees Rural Basic Income Boost: Township Sales Surge 436%

With 16.4 Billion Won Distributed, Neighborhood Businesses Thrive
Yeoncheon County Sees Clear Boost in Local Consumption

On May 12, Yeoncheon County in Gyeonggi Province announced that 83% of the rural basic income distributed for three months under the pilot project has already been used, demonstrating a boost in local consumption.

A panoramic view of the Yeoncheon County Office. Provided by Yeoncheon County Office

According to the county, a total of 16.4 billion won in rural basic income had been distributed by April, with approximately 13.6 billion won spent. Compared to the month before the project launched (January 27 to February 26, 2026), sales in April (March 27 to April 26, 2026) rose by 333% overall, and by 436% in township areas when using local currency.

The number of registered affiliated stores has also increased significantly. Since the county was selected for the public contest last year, 273 new businesses have registered as Yeoncheon Love Gift Certificate affiliated stores. Among these, 74 were new start-up businesses, with 53 in town areas and 21 in township areas.

Changes are also being felt on the ground. In particular, a small business owner in a township area said, "Since the rural basic income payments began, more residents have been purchasing items they previously hesitated to buy, such as beautiful flowers for their gardens, and they are very satisfied. Not only have sales increased, but more shops that had temporarily closed are reopening, bringing new vitality to the local business district."

Another resident commented, "The amount received each month helps reduce living expenses. However, many elderly residents who are used to shopping in town are unfamiliar with places to spend money in the township, so more active promotion and guidance on where to use the local currency would make it much more convenient."

Population changes are also noteworthy. According to county statistics, compared to the population of 40,997 at the time of the project selection last year, 3,473 people have moved in. As of April, after accounting for departures and deaths, Yeoncheon County's population increased by 1,742, reaching 42,739.

A Yeoncheon County official explained, "We are seeing new start-ups in township areas, especially in daily-life service industries such as hair salons and personal training studios. The expansion of affiliated stores is helping us move closer to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs' goal of revitalizing township economies."

The official added, "Some residents have expressed inconvenience due to restrictions on where the income can be used and the complexity of usage methods. We will continue to recommend policy improvements to central government agencies and work with the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs to make the rural basic income more convenient for residents."

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