Iksan City in North Jeolla Province has reaffirmed its status as a leading city in resident-participatory renewable energy income projects.
On August 4, the city announced that four locations in Yeosan-myeon were selected in the first round of the government's solar income village project, paving the way for national funding and rural income expansion.
The solar income village initiative allows residents to form cooperatives and directly participate in solar power generation projects. The profits generated from these projects are distributed for public purposes, such as community welfare and village funds, ensuring stable rural income.
With a 1MW power plant, it is projected that monthly profit distributions could reach approximately 450,000 won for 30 households during the initial five-year grace period.
In this selection process, a total of 17 locations were chosen in North Jeolla Province, with Iksan City securing the highest number at four.
The selected locations include: △Cheonho Cooperative (Hakdong, Sinri) △Wonsu Cooperative (Yeonmyeong, Dogyang, Sangyang) △Jeonam Cooperative (Sangok, Haok, Sawol, Namsan, Seokgyo) △Taeseong Cooperative (Nuhang, Deoksan, Nodong, Hyeoncheon).
This achievement is attributed to the solid experience gained from the village autonomous pension program, which was the first of its kind in the country.
The city has already established and operates the nation’s first training center for village autonomous pensions in Seongdangpogu Village, successfully returning solar power profits to residents as pensions.
The four selected locations are conditional selections, subject to the implementation of certain supplementary measures, including support for energy storage systems (ESS) for grid connection.
The city plans to focus on administrative support, including expert technical guidance and expedited permitting, to ensure smooth project execution.
Meanwhile, the government aims to expand the initiative to discover 700 solar income villages nationwide this year.
Iksan City to Detail Future Vision Plans through August 7
Iksan City is set to clarify its future vision execution strategies to realize the 'Iksan Transformation' initiative under the 9th civil election.
From August 4 to 7, Iksan Mayor Choi Jeong-ho will preside over the 'Future Vision and Administrative Operation Plan Report Meeting' for the 9th civil election.
This meeting aims to systematically devise execution plans for key objectives of the 9th civil election and ensure consistency and effectiveness in future administrative operations.
The city will focus on establishing basic directions for administration, including creating job opportunities, attracting residents, and serving citizens, while detailing sector-specific goals and core strategies to enhance both quality of life and urban competitiveness.
During the meeting, heads of national and local departments will present policy conditions, objectives, implementation strategies, key projects, and phased execution plans for their respective areas.
Key discussion areas will include: △expansion of metropolitan transportation networks △nurturing future industries △advancing agricultural and bio-industries △revitalizing history, culture, tourism, and sports △expanding welfare that citizens can feel and improving living environments.
In particular, the city plans to discuss not only short-term project implementation plans but also core achievements to be realized during the term and long-term development directions for the next decade to seek a foundation for sustainable urban growth.
Based on the feedback provided during the meeting, the city will prioritize projects and refine implementation schedules, developing sector-specific plans into concrete execution tasks.
Additionally, for projects requiring collaboration among multiple departments, a joint implementation system will be established, and projects that can be linked to government policies will actively seek national budget allocations and participation in public projects to strengthen policy implementation momentum.
Mayor Choi Jeong-ho stated, “This meeting is an important starting point for materializing Iksan's future vision into actionable policies. We will meticulously prepare detailed execution plans to ensure that strategies in each sector lead to tangible changes in citizens' lives and achieve the 'Iksan Transformation' that residents can feel.”
Mayor Choi was elected as the 9th Iksan Mayor with 74.70% of the vote in the June 3 local elections.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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