Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs in Sejong City. [Photo by Yoo Dae-gil]
The South Korean government is set to enhance the quality of life for rural residents by adding practical services such as laundry, beauty care, and bathing to its "Rural Service Standards."
On June 2, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs announced that a revised enforcement decree of the Special Act on Improving the Quality of Life for Farmers and Fishermen has passed the Cabinet meeting. This amendment reflects the policy direction of the fifth basic plan for enhancing the quality of life for agricultural workers, aiming to reorganize the "Rural Service Standards" to focus on the real-life experiences of rural residents.
The ministry plans to introduce new service categories, including laundry, beauty care, and bathing, as well as food supply services, to better address the service gaps and food deserts in rural areas. This initiative aims to strengthen access to services closely related to residents' daily lives.
Additionally, the evaluation criteria will shift from merely assessing the presence of facilities to focusing on "accessibility," which reflects the actual usability of services by residents. Previously, management was based solely on whether facilities and programs existed; moving forward, the ministry will consider the distance and time required for residents to access these services.
Following this decree revision, the ministry will also update the Rural Service Standards to present specific target levels for each service category. Furthermore, it will assess the achievement of these standards annually and work with relevant central administrative agencies and local governments to address any shortcomings.
Jeon Han-young, director of the Rural Policy Bureau at the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, stated, "This revision of the enforcement decree aims to elevate the level of daily services that rural residents experience and to manage regional service disparities more systematically. We will continue to improve the system to reduce blind spots in rural living services."
On June 2, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs announced that a revised enforcement decree of the Special Act on Improving the Quality of Life for Farmers and Fishermen has passed the Cabinet meeting. This amendment reflects the policy direction of the fifth basic plan for enhancing the quality of life for agricultural workers, aiming to reorganize the "Rural Service Standards" to focus on the real-life experiences of rural residents.
The ministry plans to introduce new service categories, including laundry, beauty care, and bathing, as well as food supply services, to better address the service gaps and food deserts in rural areas. This initiative aims to strengthen access to services closely related to residents' daily lives.
Additionally, the evaluation criteria will shift from merely assessing the presence of facilities to focusing on "accessibility," which reflects the actual usability of services by residents. Previously, management was based solely on whether facilities and programs existed; moving forward, the ministry will consider the distance and time required for residents to access these services.
Following this decree revision, the ministry will also update the Rural Service Standards to present specific target levels for each service category. Furthermore, it will assess the achievement of these standards annually and work with relevant central administrative agencies and local governments to address any shortcomings.
Jeon Han-young, director of the Rural Policy Bureau at the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, stated, "This revision of the enforcement decree aims to elevate the level of daily services that rural residents experience and to manage regional service disparities more systematically. We will continue to improve the system to reduce blind spots in rural living services."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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