Basic Report

South Korea has the fastest rate of the aging population with a very low birthrate, and there are growing concerns about “population cliffs,” “aging country,” and “local extinction.” Since 2017, the scale of net outflow of young population in non-metropolitan areas has expanded, and concentration in the metropolitan area has become more serious. In particular, the outflow of the young population in their 20s and 30s, which can be an important human capital, in the metropolitan area and large cities is becoming more serious, and the abolition of the region itself becomes a problem.
   This study looks at the current situation and actual conditions of rural population problems focusing on adolescents. The study discusses the sociocultural changes of the modern young population who live in a society of low growth, deindustrialization, and pluralism, and their favorable spaces. Based on the discussion and analysis, policies are suggested to promote the flow of new local population, change the direction of population migration, increase the attractiveness of the region, and establish the young population in the region.
   In Chapter 2, based on the discussion of regional population decline and social migration between regions, two perspectives of young migration are discussed; namely 1) the young outflow due to labor migration and 2) the young inflow based on the attractiveness of the region. We considered the characteristics of the young population in the transitional period and their preferable spatial characteristics to increase the attractiveness of the region. In Chapter 3, we compared and analyzed the policies of South Korea and Japan, which are responding to population decline, especially the social outflow of population, focusing on the laws, systems, and policies that bring in and establish the young population. Through analysis of young influx and settlement support policies in response to population decline, we derived the limits and implications of policies of central and local governments. In Chapter 4, using the domestic migration statistics and microdata of the Statistics Korea (a National Statistical Office), we analyzed the trends of regional young population decline and outflow in 229 regions nationwide, and young outflow tendency in city, county, and district. In Chapter 5, the evaluation was made from the perspective of the young influx. In order for local governments to attract a new young population, not only the reasons for leaving the area, but also, the target age, occupation, income level, and preferable space are considered. These are necessary to establish custom strategies for the young population. In Chapter 6, we selected and analyzed in detail preemptive cases and policy experiments that are already promoting the influx and settlement of the young population in local governments. In Chapter 7, we proposed promotion strategies for local governments and proposals for improving the system and presented a central system improvement plan to support this on the premises of 1) a policy that considers the tastes and characteristics of the young population within the framework of the regional development policy for local extinction, 2) a policy that does not only consider economic factors, and 3) a sustainable policy for designing the lives of local governments.
   To promote young influx and settlement support policies in response to population decline, it is necessary to establish policy vision and master plan based on the analysis of population decline, young population migration status, and outflow causes. It is also necessary to prepare a strategy considering the regional characteristics and the needs of the target. In addition, it is necessary to promote core strategies including 1) employment, housing, transportation projects, 2) regional new deal employment, 3) activate online-based businesses, 4) on-demand transportation service, 5) innovation complex space for the young population and 6) conflict management with existing residents. For regional young employment, it is necessary to continuously create youth employment that can drive the regional New Deal in the current Digital Green New Deal era. We also suggested revitalization strategies for creating socioeconomic young employment and online-based businesses.
   As a plan to improve the central and local government system, we propose the enactment of ‘A Special Law for Supporting the Crisis Area of ​​Local Extinction (tentative title),’ and support the young influx and settlement support policy of local governments under the Special Law for Dealing with Local Extinction. Based on Living Lap, the central government must build a young migration integration platform, build a city-regional exchange system, and promote community-led digital young employment projects. Local governments must enact ‘Young Influx and Settlement Support Ordinances (tentative title)’ and build an integrated promotion system for cooperation. It is necessary to continuously discover and promote the influx and settlement of young population and related measures based on the young population demand surveys and big data analysis.