Namhae Rural Basic Income Survives Budget Cut; Future Education District Program Scrapped

The Namhae-gun rural basic income pilot program budget, which was entirely cut by the standing committee of the South Gyeongsang Provincial Council before being dramatically restored by the Special Committee on Budget and Accounts, has passed the plenary session. However, the Future Education District program that the South Gyeongsang Provincial Office of Education had planned to pursue next year was ultimately scrapped after its entire budget was cut at the plenary session.

The South Gyeongsang Provincial Council concluded this year's session on December 16 by approving the 2026 provincial budget and the provincial education budget at the sixth plenary session of the 428th regular assembly.

The council passed an amended 2026 provincial budget totaling 14.2841 trillion won, including the 12.6 billion won for the Namhae-gun rural basic income pilot program that had sparked budget cut controversy. The biggest issue was whether to include provincial funding for the rural basic income pilot program. The council's Agriculture, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Committee had previously cut all provincial funding, but after lengthy discussions, the Special Committee on Budget and Accounts fully restored the cut funding and passed it through the plenary session.

The special committee attached a supplementary opinion calling for the program to proceed with an increased national government funding ratio and for measures to provide fiscal support to other cities and counties not covered by the rural basic income program.

Of the total project cost of 70.2 billion won for Namhae-gun, the pilot program site, the provincial share is 18 percent, or 12.636 billion won. The remainder is allocated as 40 percent from national funding (28.08 billion won) and 42 percent from county funding (29.484 billion won). If South Gyeongsang Province were to bear 30 percent as demanded by the central government, this would increase to 21 billion won, requiring an additional 8.4 billion won.

As other metropolitan governments pursuing the program, including South Chungcheong and Gangwon provinces, have belatedly accepted the 30 percent provincial funding ratio, South Gyeongsang Province is also expected to follow suit. The province has indicated its willingness to accept the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs' demand for 30 percent funding. Since the deadline for reflecting this in next year's budget has passed, the remaining provincial share is expected to be allocated through a supplementary budget next year.

However, calls for expanded national funding continue. With the provincial council attaching a supplementary opinion to pursue an increased national funding ratio, controversy is likely to reignite during next year's supplementary budget review.

Governor Park Wan-soo of South Gyeongsang Province criticized the situation at a meeting of provincial department heads the previous day, saying, "The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs hastily imposed 60 percent of the burden on local governments without sufficient review or discussion with cities and provinces, causing conflicts."

He added, "After unilaterally creating the rural basic income policy with the central government bearing 40 percent and local governments bearing 60 percent, they suddenly reversed course and said they would not provide national funding unless cities and provinces bear 30 percent. This undermines trust in national governance."

The budget for the Future Education District program, which the South Gyeongsang Provincial Office of Education had planned to implement next year in response to the population decline crisis, ultimately failed to pass the plenary session. The "Future Education District Project," for which the education office had submitted a budget of 2.636 billion won to the provincial council, was ultimately scrapped. The council passed an amended special education account budget of 6.0058 trillion won for next year, but this project was not included. The provincial council had previously abolished the "Ordinance Supporting the Revitalization of South Gyeongsang Village Education Communities," which served as the basis for supporting the program, in November last year, citing political bias among village instructors, and had cut the entire budget of 6.9 billion won this year.

Superintendent of Education Park Jong-hoon said, "The Future Education District project is not a policy to protect a specific program but an educational direction to prepare for the future of South Gyeongsang students. Satisfaction among participating students exceeded 90 percent, demonstrating positive effects."

He added, "Future education must expand learning from schools to communities, transcending limitations of time and space based on good resources in villages. The South Gyeongsang Provincial Office of Education believes policies that take responsibility for the growth of each and every child together with schools and communities must continue," expressing regret over the budget cut.