Lee visits southeastern province to inspect pilot basic income scheme

President Lee Jae Myung visited North Gyeongsang Province Saturday to inspect a pilot basic income program for residents of depopulated rural towns. The scheme provides residents with 150,000 won per month in gift vouchers, and Lee said it was supporting livelihoods and local businesses. He said the government would expand the program to more farming and fishing communities so current residents could stay and newcomers could settle.

Yeongyang and Cheongsong counties were among the places Lee visited during his unannounced trip.

Of 69 counties designated nationwide as population-declining regions, 17 are running the pilot program.

Lee said he met local residents and small business owners during the visit.

The monthly voucher amount is also reported as $112.

Published Oct 31, 2026 2:48 pm KST

Updated Nov 1, 2026 12:04 am KST

President Lee Jae Myung speaks during a Cabinet meeting at Cheong Wa Dae, Oct. 27. Yonhap

President Lee Jae Myung visited a southeastern province Saturday to inspect a government pilot program providing a monthly basic income to residents in depopulated rural towns.

Lee shared details of his unannounced trip to North Gyeongsang Province in a social media post, extending greetings to residents in Yeongyang and Cheongsong counties, located in the same province.

The Lee government has introduced the basic income scheme to provide local residents with 150,000 won ($112) per month in gift vouchers. A total of 69 counties nationwide have been designated as population-declining regions, 17 of which are currently running the pilot program.

"I met with local residents and small business owners and confirmed that the basic income program is supporting their livelihoods and bringing vitality to local commercial districts," Lee said in a social media post following the visit.

The president stressed the need to create farming and fishing communities where existing residents can continue to live and newcomers can settle.

"We will expand the basic income program for rural and fishing communities to more areas and bring about such changes," he added.

李在明总统周六前往庆尚北道，考察一项针对人口稀少农村城镇居民的基本收入试点项目。该项目每月向居民发放15万韩元的礼券，李在明表示，此举有助于改善居民生活，并扶持当地企业发展。他还表示，政府将把该项目推广到更多农渔社区，以便现有居民能够继续留在这里，新来者也能在此安家落户。

李在这次未事先宣布的访问中，到访了宁阳郡和青松郡等地。

全国共有 69 个县被指定为人口下降地区，其中 17 个县正在开展试点项目。

李说，他在访问期间会见了当地居民和小企业主。

据报道，每月代金券金额为 112 美元。

发布于2026年10月31日下午2:48（韩国标准时间）

更新于2026年11月1日凌晨12:04（韩国标准时间）

10月27日，李在明总统在青瓦台召开内阁会议并发表讲话。（韩联社）

李在明总统周六访问了韩国东南部的一个省份，视察了一项政府试点项目，该项目旨在向人口稀少的农村城镇居民提供每月基本收入。

李在社交媒体上分享了他前往庆尚北道的未事先宣布之行的细节，并向位于同一省份的盈阳郡和清松郡的居民致以问候。

李政府推出了基本收入保障计划，每月向当地居民发放15万韩元（约合112美元）的礼券。全国共有69个郡被指定为人口减少地区，其中17个郡目前正在试点推行该计划。

李在访问结束后在社交媒体上发帖称：“我与当地居民和小企业主进行了会面，并确认基本收入计划正在支持他们的生计，并为当地商业区带来活力。”

总统强调，需要建立农业和渔业社区，让现有居民能够继续生活，也让新来者能够定居。

“我们将把农村和渔业社区的基本收入计划扩大到更多地区，并带来这样的改变，”他补充道。