On the 21st, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs announced that it has selected a total of six locations, including Jecheon, Chungbuk; Jangsu, Jeonbuk; Mu-an and Sinan in Jeonnam; and Pohang and Goryeong in Gyeongbuk, as candidates for this year's youth rural housing project.
The youth rural housing project is a policy aimed at reducing the housing burden of young people returning to farming and rural areas, improving living conditions, and helping them settle stably in rural areas. This project is characterized by the development of rental housing complexes in single-family homes, with the establishment of shared childcare and cultural and leisure facilities within the complexes.
The government will provide a total of 10 billion won ($10 million) in support per project area for three years, with 5 billion won ($5 million) coming from the national budget. The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs noted that it plans to select four additional project areas by the end of this year through an additional application process.
Park Soo-jin, Deputy Minister for Planning and Coordination at the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, said, "Support for the influx and settlement of young people in rural areas is crucial in the face of the risk of rural extinction, so we plan to develop residential complex districts that effectively reflect the policy demands of the youth, including childcare, culture, and leisure."