Yeoncheon County in Gyeonggi Province, selected as a pilot site for the government's rural basic income program, will distribute its first payments on Wednesday.
According to Gyeonggi Province on Tuesday, 35,227 residents will receive local gift certificates worth 150,000 won each.
The rural basic income program evolved from Gyeonggi Province's 2022 initiative that provided 150,000 won monthly in local currency to all residents of Cheongsan-myeon in Yeoncheon County, regardless of employment or income status. The program has now been adopted as national policy, expanding coverage from approximately 3,800 Cheongsan-myeon residents to all 35,227 Yeoncheon County residents.
The initiative is expected to improve quality of life for rural residents facing population decline and regional extinction risks while creating a virtuous cycle for local economies.
Gyeonggi Province is providing 714 million won in operating expenses—the only province to offer such separate funding—covering 50% of costs for residency verification personnel, application processing, and payment system development to ensure smooth implementation of the national program.
The province will also operate a "Happiness Delivery Communication Wagon" program to extend policy benefits to underserved areas with limited retail access. This initiative partners with local organizations to provide purchasing assistance for essential goods and offer health and psychological counseling services. Gyeonggi Province plans to prioritize Yeoncheon County for one-stop resident services.
"As Gyeonggi Province's social experiment has become the national standard, we will spare no administrative or financial support until the government program is firmly established," said Lee Moon-moo, head of Gyeonggi Province's Agricultural Policy Division. "We will do our utmost to ensure rural basic income serves as a catalyst for guaranteeing basic rights in rural areas and achieving balanced regional development."