Gongju City Council Chair Lim Dalhee: "Annual Basic Income of 1.2 Million Won for Farmers"

Lim Dalhee, chair of the Gongju City Council and a Democratic Party candidate for Gongju mayor in the local elections this June, said on the 12th that he would provide farmers in Gongju with a basic income of 1.2 million won per year.

원본보기 아이콘

Lim Dalhee, chair of the Gongju City Council, who declared his candidacy for Gongju mayor in South Chungcheong Province on June 3, announced his third policy agenda under the slogan "The People of Gongju" on the 12th, saying, "I will transform the city's structure to be people-centered."

At a press conference held in the briefing room of Gongju City Hall that day, Chair Lim stated, "I will shift Gongju away from 'hardware-focused administration' centered on urban development, and turn it into a 'people-centered city' built on agricultural income and life-cycle welfare."

He stressed, "I am not a politician but an urban designer," adding, "I will push ahead with a complete local circular-city plan that treats Gongju citizens as shareholders of the city."

In particular, regarding the agricultural sector, Lim said, "I will make Gongju a place where a father who farms earns more than a son working at a large corporation."

As key pledges to achieve this, he proposed: building the "Gongju Mega Grain RPC" as a distribution hub for miscellaneous grains in South Chungcheong Province; creating a large-scale, Gongju-style local direct-sales store; and providing a basic income of 100,000 won per month for rural residents.

On how to secure funding for the rural basic income, he said, "In 2022 and 2023, Gongju City received the lowest rating (Grade E) in the Local Extinction Response Fund assessment and secured only 11.2 billion won, whereas neighboring Geumsan County secured 21 billion won," adding, "I will regain the national funds we missed through competence and provide about 20,000 farmers with an annual 1.2 million won in local currency."

Regarding the "Gongju Mega Grain RPC," he explained, "We will build it as a wide-area base that aggregates and processes grains from the Chungcheong region," and added, "By operating a large local-food direct-sales store capable of same-day delivery to apartment complexes in nearby major cities such as Sejong and Daejeon, we will substantially raise farm household income."

On welfare, he said, "I will put an end to the reality of having to travel elsewhere to give birth," and added, "We will build a public postnatal care system that provides hotel-level services at about 50% of the cost charged by private providers."

In addition, he announced plans to introduce village circulator buses for transportation-disadvantaged areas, and said, "By operating the 'SOS Gongju 365 Discovery Team,' which utilizes AI technology and the networks of postal workers and meter readers, we will proactively identify those who fall through the cracks of the welfare system."

He particularly emphasized, "We will boost urban vitality by introducing a 'Youth Director System' that entrusts 30% of festival budgets to young people, along with a 'Cultural Sandbox,'" adding, "We will transform the cultural ecosystem into one where young people plan and take responsibility."

On education, Lim said, "We will introduce startup (CEO) education benchmarked on the case of Malmo in Sweden," and added, "Through support for each child to acquire at least one skill in arts, sports, or a foreign language, we will create an environment where children can nurture their dreams in the local community."

Lim said, "This agenda is not a pie-in-the-sky pledge but an execution roadmap for Gongju's survival," adding, "In the fourth agenda, which will be announced right after the holidays, I will unveil a major municipal transformation project to be carried out together with 1,300 public officials."

© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.