| Chungcheongbuk-do Selected for K-Brand Awards for Two Consecutive Years | |
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Honored with the K-Administration Metropolitan Government Award for the Second Year in a Row -
Chungbuk’s Innovative Policies Become a “Brand” in Transforming Korea! - Chungcheongbuk-do has been honored for the second consecutive year in the K-Administration “Metropolitan Government” category at the 2025 K-Brand Awards, hosted by TV Chosun. The province’s innovative and creative governance has been highly acclaimed for making a significant impact nationwide. In particular, Chungbuk’s job creation policies and support initiatives for vulnerable groups have been recognized as setting new benchmarks for revitalizing Korea, contributing greatly to this award. First, Chungbuk has brought about a major revolution in the field of employment. By introducing the Chungbuk-style Urban Farmers and Urban Workers System, the province shattered the traditional concept of an eight-hour workday, establishing a flexible labor market through a four-hour work shift. This initiative effectively addressed both the chronic labor shortages in rural areas and businesses, and the job-seeking difficulties in urban areas by deploying idle urban labor, including seniors, homemakers, and students, to farms and enterprises. Recently, the province has launched the Working Bappeo project, which allows seniors to experience the joy of community service while working, which has gained immense popularity among the senior population. Currently, around 20,000 seniors are participating in activities such as pre-processing agricultural products (e.g., trimming garlic stems, sorting scallions) and assembling simple industrial goods to assist local vendors and SMEs. This initiative provides participants with a sense of fulfillment from contributing to the community while earning a small allowance, greatly helping seniors regain self-esteem and confidence. The excellence of the system has already gained nationwide attention, leading many local governments, including Gyeongsangbuk-do, to adopt the program. Additionally, Chungbuk’s introduction of the world’s first Postpaid Medical Expense System has recently gained momentum with the signing of a policy exchange agreement with Seoul City, accelerating its expansion nationwide. This system, born from a reverse-thinking approach, allows patients to receive treatment first to focus on recovery and pay medical bills later in installments, similar to purchasing cars or mobile phones. Remarkably, without any additional fiscal input, simply changing the payment method has saved countless lives. To date, about 13,000 people have regained their health through the postpaid system, with only 13 cases of repayment delinquency (99% repayment rate), proving the system’s excellence and stability. Furthermore, Chungcheongbuk-do is boldly leading reforms in Korea by pursuing unprecedented policies, such as the enactment of the “Special Act on Support for Central Inland Linked Development Areas” to achieve balanced national development, the success of the Chungbuk Ugly Agricultural Products food upcycling project that breathes new life into discarded agricultural produce, the Digital Video Autobiography project aimed at making Korea a powerhouse in visual record culture, and the introduction of the K-International Student program that presents a new paradigm for population policies involving foreigners. |
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