Minister Song Miryung Visits Namhae... Notable Changes Observed in Rural Basic Income Pilot

Confirming Changes Felt by Residents
Namhae-gun Stresses Need to Expand Eligible Stores and Improve the System

On May 17, Song Miryung, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, visited Namhae-gun to personally inspect the site of the basic income pilot project for farming and fishing villages and engage in communication with local residents.

Namhae-gun held a roundtable meeting at the Windmill School in Naedongcheon, Samdong-myeon on the same day, sharing examples of changes in the local economy and community revitalization that have emerged since the implementation of the basic income for rural areas.

[Photo by Namhae County] Song Miryung, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, visited the Naedongcheon Windmill School in Samdong-myeon, Namhae County on the 17th to review the progress of the rural basic income pilot project, check cases of community revitalization, and listen to residents' opinions.

The roundtable was attended by Song Miryung, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, Jang Choongnam, Mayor of Namhae-gun, officials from Gyeongnam Province, public officials, and representatives of village communities, who delivered voices from the field.

Mayor Jang Choongnam emphasized, "The basic income for farming and fishing villages is not simply a subsidy but serves as a priming force to revitalize the local economy. It is essential to expand the scope of eligible stores and improve the system so that the consumption effect can spread to traditional markets and local businesses."

Namhae-gun also presented the current status of the basic income initiative, introducing cases of social solidarity economy and village community revitalization, and explained the effects of establishing a virtuous cycle structure in the region.

Resident representatives strongly requested practical improvements to the system, such as the legalization of basic income, continuation of the main project following the pilot, the creation of rural care spaces, and expansion of eligible stores.

After the roundtable, Minister Song visited a local food direct sales store to tour the site and encourage those involved. Local officials stated, "Since the introduction of the basic income, there has been a noticeable increase in consumption of local agricultural products. Residents' spending is creating a virtuous cycle that benefits local farms and businesses."

Mayor Jang Choongnam commented, "This site visit was a meaningful opportunity for the central government to directly see how the basic income for rural areas is changing the lives of residents and the local economy. We will continue to propose improvements to the system suited to the region's realities so that the policy can develop into one that residents truly feel."

[Photo by Namhae County] Song Miryung, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, and Jang Chungnam, Mayor of Namhae County, are touring the pilot project site of the basic income for farming and fishing villages in Namhae County on the 17th, listening to explanations from officials about the operation status and changes in the local economy.

Minister Song Miryung remarked, "It is very impressive that signs of change are already appearing in the field just three months after the pilot project began. In particular, seeing residents use their basic income to purchase green onions and help farms struggling with plummeting prices is a prime example of a virtuous local economic cycle."

Namhae-gun plans to continue closely analyzing the economic impact of the basic income for rural areas and accelerate the establishment of the 'Namhae-style basic income model' in conjunction with village communities, social solidarity economy organizations, traditional markets, and local food direct sales stores.

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