'Leaving the City for the Countryside'... Record High Number of Return-to-Farm and Return-to-Village Households Last Year

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[Asia Economy Sejong=Reporter Son Seonhee] Last year, the number of households returning to farming and rural living reached the highest since related statistics began to be compiled. This is interpreted as a result of the complex interplay of prolonged COVID-19, rising housing prices, and increased interest in rural and fishing villages.

According to the "2021 Return-to-Farming and Rural Living Statistics" announced by Statistics Korea on the 23rd, the number of households returning to rural living last year was 363,397, an increase of 5.3% from the previous year (345,205 households). The number of households returning to farming was 14,347, up 14.9% from the previous year (12,489 households). Combined, the total number of households returning to farming and rural living was 377,744, marking the highest number ever recorded.

The average age of heads of rural living households was 45.2 years, with males accounting for 60.8%. By age group, those in their 30s were the largest at 21.8%, followed by those aged 20 and under at 21.5%, and those in their 50s at 18.1%. Notably, three out of four rural living households (75.2%) were single-person households.

Households returning to farming and rural living increased across all age groups, with those aged 30 and under and those in their 60s increasing by 5.0% and 16.4% respectively compared to the previous year, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. The ministry stated, "The population returning to farming and rural living aged 30 and under accounted for 235,904 people, representing 45.8% of the total, and continued to lead the trend in 2021. Despite a decrease in domestic population movement compared to the previous year, the sustained increase in return-to-farming and rural living indicates a solidifying migration flow to rural areas."

In particular, the perception of rural areas among young people is changing, and this is interpreted as reflecting the results of the government's farming policy support project (up to 1 million KRW per month for three years). Additionally, the increase in return-to-farming among those aged 60 and above appears to be due to the full-scale retirement of the baby boomer generation. Jung Hyunchul, Director of Agricultural Policy at the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, said, "We will actively support those wishing to return to farming and rural living to prepare systematically and settle stably."

Last year, the number of households returning to fishing also increased sharply to 1,135, up 26.5% from the previous year (897 households). This is the first increase in fishing households in three years since 2018.

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