Jeonnam and Gyeongbuk, Highest Risk Areas for Local Extinction... "Likely to Become a Capital Region Republic"

Request for Cooperation on the 'Special Act on Local Extinction Support'
Population Decline Continues... Concentration in the Capital Region
"Must Abandon the Logic of Fostering First-Class and Large Cities"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Bo-kyung] "The provinces are facing a crisis of decline in all areas, from education to industry. If this continues, South Korea will become a 'Capital Region Republic.'"

In early last month, population policy officials from the Jeonnam Provincial Government and Gyeongbuk Provincial Government visited the Ministry of the Interior and Safety in Sejong City. The local government officials came to Sejong to seek cooperation from the ministry in passing the 'Special Act on Support for Areas at Risk of Local Extinction.' Jeonnam and Gyeongbuk are ranked first and second among local governments at risk of extinction.

According to the Korea Employment Information Service on the 10th, as of May, 18 out of 22 cities and counties in Jeonnam and 19 out of 23 in Gyeongbuk were classified as areas at risk of extinction. The extinction risk index is calculated by dividing the number of women aged 20-29 in the area by the number of elderly people aged 65 and over; if the value is below 0.5, the area is considered at risk of extinction. In Jeonnam, there are five high-risk extinction areas with values below 0.2. The number of extinction risk areas in both local governments has been increasing year by year. A Gyeongbuk provincial government official said, "As population outflow continues, the local economy is stagnating and facing the risk of extinction. If left as is, national balanced development will be threatened."

Nationwide, out of 228 cities, counties, and districts, 105 are at risk of extinction, an increase of 12 from last year. Compared to an increase of 4 from 2018 to last year, this is a steep rise. Population outflow from provinces to the Capital Region is rapidly progressing. Especially this year, for the first time in history, natural population decrease is expected, with deaths exceeding births. The total fertility rate is expected to fall below 0.9. While the overall population is decreasing, concentration in the Capital Region continues. According to the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, as of June this year, 50.17% of the total population lives in the Capital Region.

The political sphere has belatedly begun to prepare measures against local extinction. On the 9th, the Democratic Party's National Balanced Development and Administrative Capital Promotion Team announced plans to develop the country into a '3+2+3 Mega City' to prevent local extinction and promote balanced development.

Lee Sang-ho, head of the Regional Job Support Team at the Korea Employment Information Service, said, "If the focus is solely on fostering 'world-class cities' or 'mega cities' under the name of mega cities, it will be more advantageous to the densely populated Capital Region," adding, "If the development plan takes on political colors or causes regional conflicts and competition, it is undesirable."

He continued, "Strengthening cooperation between small cities and adopting public support methods for vulnerable groups along with the introduction of Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies will have a positive effect on overcoming local extinction."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.