Population surge in seven counties after 600,000 won monthly payment to four-person households

The population of areas selected as eligible areas for the basic income scheme for farming and fishing villages that the South Korean government is aiming to introduce is growing significantly, drawing attention.
According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and other sources on the 18th, the number of cases in Yeoncheon, Gyeonggi Province, Jeongseon, Gangwon Province, and Cheongyang, South Chungcheong Province, has risen to 1,000.
Seven counties: Sunchang, Jeonbuk, Sinan, Gyeongbuk, Yeongyang, and Namhae, Gyeongsang
Residents living in the area will receive a basic income of 150,000 won (approximately 16,000 yen) per month for two years. The payment will be made in the form of local gift certificates, and there are no age or income restrictions.
The government is investing approximately 890 billion won in the project over two years and is considering expanding it nationwide after the two-year pilot project.
On the other hand, some of the selected areas have seen a noticeable increase in the number of people moving in.
According to Nankai County, there were 272 new students in September this year, but
In October, immediately after the new coronavirus was confirmed, the number of cases jumped to 629. The one-month increase was approximately 131% (357 cases), the largest increase since 2007.
From January to August this year, the population of Nankai County continued to decline by 20 to 130 people each month.
The fact that the figure had been steadily declining since it fell below 10, but has now reversed for two consecutive months, is drawing attention as an unusual development. The majority of immigrants in October came from the Busan and Gyeongnam areas. By region, Busan (Plazaro)
The numbers are in order: 130 in San, 68 in Jinju, 56 in Sacheon, and 40 in Changwon. A similar phenomenon is also seen in Cheongyang County, South Chungcheong, where the population as of the 12th of this month was 29,482, down 1
This represents an increase of 404 people in the past month. Taking into account people moving out and natural attrition, the actual number of people moving in is likely to be even higher.
The county office receives five to six calls a day asking about the conditions for receiving basic income.
The number of people seeking to return to farming or villages has also nearly doubled compared to previous years. A county official said, "We expect the number of people returning to farming or villages this year to be higher than last year (1,300 people)."
In addition, Yeoncheon in Gyeonggi Province, Jeongseon in Gangwon Province, Sunchang in Jeonbuk Province, Sinan in Jeonnam Province, and Yeongyang in Gyeongbuk Province also saw a decline in population from July to August this year, but a reversal began in September, and all of them increased in October.
The population increase was in Sinan County by 1,020 people, Jeongseon by 343 people, and Sunchang by 337 people. The reason for this population influx is the expectation for the basic income pilot project for agricultural and fishing villages that will be implemented next year.
A Namhae County official said, "The recent population increase is the result of the expectation of the introduction of a basic income for farming and fishing villages, which has led to an influx of residents from neighboring cities."
"We will spare no effort in providing policy support so that they can settle in the region smoothly."