Return-to-Farm Support in Korea: 2026 Loans and Grants

Is 귀농 귀촌 지원금 a grant or a loan?

Mostly a loan. The flagship 귀농 start-up and housing scheme is 100% bank money, and the government pays the gap between market rates and the borrower's rate ^[2].

The law uses a wide definition. 지원금 (support money) covers subsidies, loans, interest subsidies and tax benefits paid by national or local government (Return to Farming and Rural Life Act Art. 2(5)) ^[5].

So a headline saying "up to ₩300 million in support" usually means a loan ceiling. The 2026 guideline plans ₩150 billion of these loans, down from ₩259 billion in 2023 ^[2].

What is the difference between 귀농 and 귀촌 for support?

귀농 means moving to the countryside to become a farmer. 귀촌 means moving there without becoming a farmer. The national loan scheme funds 귀농 only ^{[1] [6]}.

According to the Enforcement Decree, a 귀촌인 is someone registered outside a rural area for at least 1 year just before moving, who then registers a rural address (Art. 3) ^[6].

Students, people doing military service, workers moved temporarily by their employer and 귀농 farmers are excluded from that definition ^[6].

A 귀농어업인 meets the same 1-year rule but must also register as a farm business (농업경영체) or be a fisher (Art. 2) ^[6]. That registration is what opens the farm loans.

How much does the 2026 귀농 start-up and housing loan give?

Up to ₩300 million for farm start-up and ₩75 million for a house, per household. The county recommends an amount; NH Bank and the credit guarantee fund decide the final loan ^{[2] [3]}.

From 2026 selections, seedlings, machinery and farm trucks share a combined cap of ₩50 million within the start-up money ^[2]. The fixed 2.0% rate applies to people selected from 2025 onward ^{[1] [2]}.

Loan terms chosen at the first draw cannot be changed later. Only one member of a household can apply, and a married couple counts once even with separate household registrations ^[2].

Who qualifies for the 귀농 loan in 2026?

Three groups: 귀농인 who moved within the last 6 years, 귀농희망자 who will move this year, and long-term rural residents who are not yet farmers. Each group has its own conditions ^[2].

• 귀농인: moved to a rural area less than 6 full years ago, and lived outside a rural area for at least 1 continuous year just before ^[2].
• 귀농희망자: lived outside a rural area for at least 1 year and plans to move this year; the money is released only after moving in ^[2].
• 재촌비농업인: registered in a rural area for at least 1 year but not a farmer. This group gets start-up money only, no housing money ^[2].
• Training: at least 8 hours of approved farm or 귀농 education in the last 5 years. Under 100 hours gets the lowest grade (D) in scoring ^[2].

Past farm records can disqualify you. If you were on the farmland register or a registered farm business for more than 2 years in total while living in a city, you cannot apply ^{[1] [2]}.

However, a weekend or experience farming (주말·체험영농) entry on the farmland register does not count against you ^{[1] [2]}. Overseas Koreans with foreign nationality (재외동포) may apply if they fit one of the three groups ^[2].

What obligations come with the 귀농 loan?

You must live at the project site and keep farming for the full 15-year loan period. The guideline states this plainly on its first pages ^[2].

“After receiving the loan, you must live at the project site and work in farming for the repayment period (15 years).”

Selling the farmland or house, abandoning the project or moving away without prior county approval can lead to loan recall, late interest, surcharges, criminal complaints and bans from farm funding ^[2].

A second job is possible. You file an employment or business notice with the county and keep farming, with proof of farming at least once a year ^[2].

You also cannot buy farmland, buildings or a house from your spouse or close relatives with this money. Costs paid before your selection date are not covered ^[2].

What support exists for young farmers under 40?

The 청년농업인 영농정착지원사업 pays selected young farmers up to ₩1.1 million a month for up to 3 years. It is a separate, competitive selection ^[4].

For 2026, applicants had to be aged 18 to under 40 (born 1985–2008) with no more than 3 years of independent farming. Households above 140% of median income, measured by health insurance premiums, could not apply ^[4].

Selected farmers also get linked support: successor farmer loans for land and facilities, preferential credit guarantees and priority for leased farmland. Those loans need a separate allocation and bank screening ^[4].

The 2026 first round ran from 5 November to 11 December 2025 through uni.agrix.go.kr, selecting 2,000 people first. MAFRA said a second round would follow in the second half, within budget ^[4].

The law also lets national and local government give preferential support to people under 40 who become 귀농 or 귀촌 residents (Art. 16(2)) ^[5].

What can a 귀촌인 who will not farm get?

Less, and mostly from counties. The law allows housing support for both 귀농 and 귀촌 residents, but it says "may", not "must" (Art. 15(2)) ^[5].

For example, Gimje City lists a rural house improvement loan on Government24. City residents moving in can apply if they sell their city home before the final loan and register at the new house ^[7].

That Gimje loan offers 2% fixed or a variable rate, repaid over 1 year grace plus 19 years or 3 years plus 17 years. The limit depends on the collateral's appraisal ^[7].

Combining programmes has limits. If you receive rural house improvement support (농촌주택개량사업), you cannot also get 귀농 housing purchase money ^[3].

Non-farm newcomers can also use temporary housing such as 귀농인의 집. See our guide to cheap rural empty house rent for those programmes.

How do you apply for 귀농 support?

Apply at the city or county where you will farm, usually twice a year. The process runs from bank pre-checks to a county interview, then NH Bank screening ^{[2] [3]}.

1. Check your 1-year non-rural residence, your move-in date and any past farm registrations against the 2026 guideline ^[2].
2. Complete approved education: 8 hours is the minimum, but 100 hours avoids the lowest training grade ^[2].
3. Visit NH Bank and the credit guarantee fund to check your credit and collateral before applying ^{[1] [2]}.
4. Submit the application and farm business plan to the county or its agricultural technology centre. The usual windows are 1 January–10 February and 1 June–10 July ^[3].
5. Attend the selection committee interview, then draw the loan by 31 December of the recommendation year ^{[1] [2]}.

Windows vary because counties may set their own dates. The national 귀농귀촌 centre answers general questions on 1899-9097 ^{[1] [2] [3]}.

Before buying land or a house with any of this money, work through the rural house checklist and browse rural listings. Building on farmland needs extra permits; see building a house on farmland.

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