Gyeongbuk Province to Supply Packages Through 'Saiso' Online Mall
Gyeongbuk Province will begin accepting applications on April 6 for this year’s Organic Produce Support Program for Pregnant Women, an initiative designed to improve the health of pregnant women and infants and to expand consumption of eco-friendly agricultural products across the province.
Applicants must be registered residents of the province as of the application date. Eligible individuals include mothers who gave birth on or after Jan. 1, 2025, and women who are pregnant at the time they apply. Mothers who gave birth but did not receive support last year must apply this year to be eligible. Foreign residents living in the province may qualify if they meet requirements such as local tax payment. Beneficiaries of the Community Integrated Health Promotion Project (Nutrition Plus) and agricultural food voucher programs are excluded.
The province recommends applying online, though applicants may also apply in person at their local administrative welfare center (eup/myeon/dong office).
This year the program combines provincial and national funding. In the first half of the year the province will provide 200,000 KRW (150 USD) per person, and in the second half the national program will provide 240,000 KRW (180 USD), for a total benefit of up to 440,000 KRW (330 USD) per person (including a 20% personal contribution). Recipients selected under the provincial program in the first half will continue to receive support from the national program in the second half without needing to reapply.
Officials will review applicants' prior support records and check whether they have received Nutrition Plus or agricultural food vouchers during the application period. Recipients will be selected within the available budget, and the province will notify successful applicants by email or text with a unique ID number.
Recipients who receive a unique ID must register as members of the Gyeongbuk agricultural specialty shopping mall 'Saiso' within 30 days and place at least one order for agricultural products within 60 days. The program supplies packages through designated vendors that include organic seafood, pesticide-free produce, organically processed foods, and processed foods made from pesticide-free ingredients.
Orders can be placed up to four times per month within each individual's support limit through Dec. 15. Each order must total between 40,000 KRW (30 USD) and 100,000 KRW (75 USD), and vendors will deliver orders to the recipient’s chosen address.
A Gyeongbuk official said, \"Last year we provided up to 480,000 KRW (360 USD) per pregnant woman in eco-friendly agricultural products, which resulted in roughly 1.9 billion KRW (1,425,000 USD) in local organic produce consumption.\"
Park Chan-guk, director of Gyeongbuk’s Agro-Livestock Distribution Bureau, said, \"We expect that providing pregnant women with safe, fresh organic produce will help create a healthier birth environment and also benefit local farms. We will actively promote the program so that many pregnant women can take advantage of it.\"
Andong=Reporter Kim Jong-hyun gim1390@viva100.com
