Ganghwa County Selected as First 'Regional Decline Response Fund Grade S' in Capital Region
[Suwon Ilbo = Reporter Choi Ki-ho] On the 3rd, Ganghwa County was selected with a 'Grade S' rating for the first time among regions experiencing population decline in the capital region and metropolitan cities in the Ministry of the Interior and Safety's Regional Decline Response Fund investment plan evaluation.
As a result, the county will secure a total of 8.8 billion won in national funding by receiving an additional 1.6 billion won incentive on top of the basic allocation of 7.2 billion won from the Regional Decline Response Fund.
Until now, the county had only received the basic allocation from the Regional Decline Response Fund, but this year it achieved the historic and unprecedented feat of obtaining a 'Grade S' rating among regions experiencing population decline in the capital region and metropolitan cities.
The county submitted the following as next year's fund investment plans: △Youth Complex Culture Town Development in Ganghwa County △Oepoji District Marine Tourism District Development △Youth Local Creator Cultivation △New Local Life Ganghwa Coexistence Project, etc.
Among these, the Youth Complex Culture Town Project received high evaluation for securing a distinctive youth culture hub unique to Ganghwa County by linking with the education development special zone and concentrating youth facilities.
Additionally, it received favorable evaluation for designing policies by viewing over 17 million annual visitors not as simple tourists but as relational population, living population, and potential resident population.
Notably, County Governor Park Yong-chul took direct responsibility for the presentation at the 'Regional Decline Response Fund Investment Plan 2nd Evaluation' on the 21st of last month, explaining Ganghwa County's investment plans with emphasis on preventing youth and young adult outflow and promoting inflow.
County Governor Park Yong-chul stated, "Through organizational restructuring at the beginning of the year, we established a population increase promotion officer to serve as the control tower for population policy, and have made all-out efforts to devise strategies to overcome the population extinction crisis," adding "The selection of the first 'Grade S rating' in the capital region is the fruition of these efforts, and we will verify and supplement our investment plans going forward to complete the Ganghwa-style living and settlement population model."
Meanwhile, the Regional Decline Response Fund distributes 1 trillion won in national funding annually from the Ministry of the Interior and Safety since 2022 for regions to pursue regional decline and population decline response projects led by local governments, with differential allocation based on investment plan evaluation results.
This year, a total of 8 of 89 local governments nationwide were selected for the excellent grade and will receive 12 billion won in support; 11 Grade S local governments will receive 8.8 billion won; 30 Grade A local governments will receive 8 billion won; and the remaining 40 local governments will receive the basic allocation of 7.2 billion won.