by Oh Jooyean
Published 21 Apr.2026 14:06(KST)
#Empty houses in villages are being renovated into hotels or senior towns, and closed schools, left vacant after students leave, are being used as bases to nurture local youth planners. Surplus agricultural products are being developed into tourism products aimed at tourists coming for culinary tours.
On April 21, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety announced that it will invest 8.5 billion won in national funds in 17 local governments to implement the “Discovery and Dissemination of Social Solidarity Economy Innovation Models” project as outlined above.
The social solidarity economy refers to an economic approach that prioritizes the value of regions, people, and communities over the profit of individual entities, and solves local social problems through various forms of solidarity and cooperation.
The Ministry of the Interior and Safety has decided to provide 500 million won in national funds per site to 17 local governments to help solve community issues using the social solidarity economy model. Local governments will match this with 500 million won in local funds, bringing the total to 1 billion won per area as they identify innovation models suited to local conditions. The selected local governments will receive up to three years of national funding based on annual evaluations, and the budget will be intensively used throughout all stages of the innovation model-from planning and product/service development to pilot projects and outcome research-to enhance sustainability. Moreover, the project will be implemented in various types tailored to local conditions, including ▲public service innovation, ▲local circular economy development, ▲provision of living services, and ▲regional revitalization leadership.
In Asan, Chungcheongnam-do, the city is improving budget efficiency and resident satisfaction with an “integrated meal and care model for seniors in urban-rural composite areas” based on economies of scale, which involves local food, partnerships with major food companies, establishment of production hubs, and collaboration among social solidarity economy organizations (processing-delivery-care). Daegu and Gwangmyeong in Gyeonggi-do are creating “local circular economy models” where resources and capital are reinvested within the region, revitalizing their local economies. In Jung-gu, Daejeon, construction waste from old town demolition sites will be recycled, while Cheongju, Chungcheongbuk-do, plans to build a manufacturing ecosystem that circulates waste plastic as assets. Jeju is raising the value of resources by launching the “Dasibom” project, a gourmet tourism model utilizing surplus seasonal agricultural products. In Pyeongchang, Gangwon-do, a former school will become the base for nurturing “local value youth planners (local marketers),” and in Namwon, Jeollabuk-do, empty houses will be renovated and introduced as “Wolmae Stay.”
Notably, more than half-10 out of the 17 locations selected-are areas experiencing population decline (including areas of concern), and the initiative is expected to inject new vitality into regional economies.
Lee Bangmu, Director-General of the Social Solidarity Economy Bureau at the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, stated, “These 17 innovation models selected this time will become milestones that demonstrate the true essence of the social solidarity economy, where communities unite and cooperate creatively to solve local challenges. By adding the innovative strengths of the social solidarity economy to each region’s unique assets, building a self-sustaining ecosystem will become a key driver in overcoming the crisis of local extinction and revitalizing the regional economy.”
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