Yongin Secures 500 Million Won in National Funding for Joa-yong Rice Product Development

[Suwon Ilbo=Gi-ho Choi] Yongin Special City was selected for the Rural Development Administration's '2025 Convergence Technology Support for Regional Resources' competition and has secured 500 million won in national funding for the development of rice processed products using 'Joa-yong,' the city announced on the 2nd.

The city has been developing bread that combines 'Joa-yong,' the city's character mascot, with 'Baek-ok Rice,' the city's representative agricultural brand, since May to create customized rice processed products that meet citizens' expectations and to generate new added value for farms and utilize them as city tourism products.

With the 500 million won secured from this selection and an additional 500 million won in city funding, the city plans to invest a total of 1 billion won and develop and commercialize various processed products including rice cakes and rice ice cream using Baek-ok Rice and bok choy, a city specialty, by the end of 2026.

The city aims to ensure that agriculture's role extends beyond agricultural product production to include food processing, distribution, sales, and tourism industry activation, thereby achieving stable farm household income as well as regional development.

Mayor Sang-il Lee said, "If we develop various processed products using Baek-ok Rice and present them to consumers, it will create synergy effects through promotion of rice consumption and strengthening of the city's branding through regional specialty products. We will focus on developing regionally specialized products that embody Yongin's identity and strive to present products that satisfy citizens."