'Get money moving locally': Basic income drive to link rural jobs, services in 17 areas

South Korea is moving to boost the social solidarity economy to link its rural basic income program with local production, services and jobs. The plan goes beyond simply distributing income — it aims to expand the economic and social services that rural areas lack by nurturing local organizations such as cooperatives, social enterprises and village enterprises.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs said Friday it will hold the "Forum on Boosting the Social Solidarity Economy Linked to Rural Basic Income" on Monday. The event will take place at the North Chungcheong C&V Center. About 150 people are expected to attend, including provincial and municipal officials from regions piloting the rural basic income program, representatives of local organizations, base farms and startup support agencies.

The core aim is to connect the rural basic income program with the local social solidarity economy. The ministry will identify and nurture social solidarity economy organizations and provide them with education and consulting support, with the goal of creating a virtuous cycle in which basic income translates into local production, services and jobs.

The ministry will also link its efforts with support projects run by other agencies. At the forum, it plans to introduce the Ministry of Planning and Budget's cooperative support project and the Ministry of Employment and Labor's social enterprise support project. It will also present the Ministry of Interior and Safety's village enterprise support project. The goal is to give local governments information so they can take part in the agriculture ministry's projects. They can also join social solidarity economy support programs run by other ministries.

The forum will also showcase examples already operating on the ground. Case studies include those from Cheongyang and Namhae, both rural basic income pilot regions, as well as a mobile market program linked with social solidarity economy organizations. The Korea Social Enterprise Promotion Agency and the South Jeolla Social Economy Support Center will also present their experiences supporting social solidarity economy organizations and village enterprises.

The ministry will offer incentives to encourage local governments to take part. It plans to review this year's achievements and next year's plans for boosting the social solidarity economy alongside rural basic income, then select and reward high-performing local governments. The ministry will also hold a fund transfer ceremony for rural basic income regions chosen under a competition for rural social solidarity economy service cooperation models.

"Cooperation and solidarity among local stakeholders, along with the role of local governments, are essential for rural basic income to translate into local production, services and jobs," said Jeon Han-young, director general of the Rural Policy Bureau at the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. "We hope that by boosting the social solidarity economy, rural basic income can help expand the economic and social services that rural areas lack."

Kang Dong-yun, director general for rural income and energy policy at the ministry, said, "We plan to work closely with local governments, along with interagency and intra-agency cooperation, to nurture social solidarity economy organizations tailored to the needs of rural basic income regions."