Interior minister visits military idle land site for solar income village

Interior Minister Yoon Ho-joong visited a candidate site for a solar income village in Sangpan-ri, Gapyeong County, on Wednesday to check preparations.

Yoon inspected grounds formerly used as a training range by the Capital Mechanized Infantry Division and held a meeting with residents to discuss installing a 1-megawatt ground-mounted solar power plant.

The model shifts from supplier-centered support to a resident-led system where communities operate facilities using local resources such as idle land or reservoirs. Profits generated remain within the village to fund welfare projects and boost household incomes.

Applications for the first round drew 129 villages from 61 cities and counties across 11 provinces. Final selections for this initial group are scheduled for July. The ministry is conducting a second round of applications through July and plans to complete additional selections in September.

During the visit, Yoon received reports on the local cooperative and proposed site use while listening to resident concerns. He urged local governments to take a leading role in ensuring administrative procedures do not hinder progress.

"Local governments must act with responsibility so that residents do not face difficulties due to administrative procedures or regulations," Yoon said.

Officials pledged to continue promoting the program to encourage more villages to participate in the ongoing second round and to develop customized support measures through active communication with local communities.

"The ministry will not spare interest and support so that this new energy autonomy innovation model can successfully take root and spread nationwide," Yoon added.