"Bringing in 40 Myanmar Refugees"... A Desperate Measure in a Region Facing Extinction

Yeongyang-gun Faces Population Crisis at 15,000 Mark
Local Government Says "We Will Do Anything to Prevent Population Decline"

Gyeongbuk Yeongyang-gun, on the verge of falling below a population of 15,000, is promoting a 'Myanmar Refugee Settlement Plan' to escape the risk of extinction.

On the 12th, Yonhap News reported that Yeongyang-gun is pursuing a plan to attract about 40 Myanmar refugees through the United Nations Refugee Agency as part of its population inflow measures.

A deserted street in Yeongyang-gun. Photo by Yonhap News

The county is currently discussing with the Ministry of Justice whether these refugees under UN protection can settle in Yeongyang-gun. It is also reported that various measures are being considered, such as utilizing closed schools as residences for the refugees.

Earlier, Oh Do-chang, the mayor of Yeongyang-gun, also revealed at a New Year's meeting that a pilot project for refugee resettlement targeting about 40 Myanmar refugees from 10 households with four or more family members is being planned.

With related discussions actively underway, Yeongyang-gun expects results as early as this year. A Yeongyang-gun official said on the 12th, "We are exploring any possible methods to prevent population decline, including attracting refugees," adding, "We are doing our best to prevent the region from disappearing."

Among local governments nationwide, Yeongyang-gun has the smallest population except for island municipalities (Ulleung-gun). Its population peaked at 70,791 in 1973, but 19 years ago, at the end of January 2006, the population was recorded at 19,989, breaking the 20,000 mark.

Since then, the population decline has continued steadily, and as of the end of February this year, Yeongyang-gun's population has shrunk to 15,271. Considering that the population has been decreasing by about 30 people per month on average recently, the 15,000 mark is likely to be broken as early as the end of this year or at the latest early next year.

Having lost a quarter of its population in 20 years and facing a serious local extinction crisis, Yeongyang-gun has been encouraging population inflow through various measures. County officials have urged not only their families but also relatives and acquaintances to move their addresses to Yeongyang-gun, and have offered childbirth support funds exceeding 100 million won to maintain the population. Despite these efforts, the number of newborns each year is only about 25, while deaths reach 300, accelerating the population decline.

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