The Era of 200,000 Won for Residents of the Five Islands in the West Sea... Representative Bae Jun-young, Success in Budget Negotiations

The living support fund for residents of the Five Islands in the West Sea will be increased to 200,000 won per month for those who have lived there for over 10 years, starting tomorrow. This increase, which has been achieved for five consecutive years, will help ensure the practical stability of life for residents in border areas.

Representative Bae Jun-young (People Power Party, Incheon Jung-gu Ganghwa-gun Ongjin-gun) announced on the 29th that the increase in the support fund has been confirmed after final negotiations with the Ministry of the Interior and Safety and the Ministry of Economy and Finance regarding the budget of 10.77 billion won for the 'Comprehensive Development Support for the Five Islands in the West Sea' project reflected in the 2026 budget.

As a result of this decision, residents who have lived in the Five Islands for over 10 years will receive 200,000 won, an increase of 20,000 won from the previous 180,000 won, while those who have lived for less than 10 years will receive the increased support amount accordingly. The support fund, which was 100,000 won (for those over 10 years) in 2021, has doubled in five years as a result of Representative Bae's legislative activities.

The Comprehensive Development Support project for the Five Islands in the West Sea consists of not only the living support fund but also a 'life-oriented package' aimed at improving the quality of life for residents in island areas, including ▲ renovation of old houses ▲ support for maritime transportation costs. There have been disagreements among departments regarding the scale of support during the government budget preparation process, but it is reported that Representative Bae persuaded everyone from the Minister of Economy and Finance to the working-level staff to revise the guidelines.

Representative Bae stated, "Residents of the Five Islands in the West Sea endure constraints due to military and geographical peculiarities, yet they are the core of national security that protects the Northern Limit Line (NLL). It is meaningful to open the long-awaited '200,000 won era' for support, and I will ensure that the budget is properly executed in areas that directly benefit residents, such as improving living conditions and reducing transportation costs," he emphasised.