[Rediscovering Rural Areas] Workplaces, Resting Places, Living Spaces... Replanting the Lost 'Nongchondaum'

Overcrowding in Major Cities and Rural Disappearance as National Issues... Focus on 'Restoring Rural Identity' as a Solution
Need for Mid- to Long-Term Spatial Planning
Government to Promote Legislation for Rural Restructuring and Introduction of Specialized Districts
RDA to Standardize 50 DB Types and Develop Regeneration Models Utilizing Idle Spaces Within the Year

Participants are enjoying foot baths in Naju Myeongha Blue Village, where a rural healing tourism program was piloted.

[Asia Economy Sejong=Reporter Kim Hyewon] Rural areas in South Korea are losing their ‘rural essence’ and aging. Factories emitting harmful substances are located near rural villages, and the odor from livestock within the villages causes conflicts among residents. Since 2012, the rapid increase in solar energy facilities has damaged natural landscapes and rural characteristics, threatening residents' safety.

The government is deeply considering "how to shape rural spaces in the future." As a solution to national issues such as urban overcrowding and rural extinction, attention is turning to the potential of rural areas, and the "restoration of rural essence" is emerging as a key national agenda. The rich natural landscapes, ecological environments, and unique community cultures of rural areas are also keys to solving regional imbalances and population decline.

According to the Rural Development Administration’s National Institute of Agricultural Sciences on the 23rd, Jeonbuk Gochang-gun is a representative area recently establishing self-developed plans based on ‘rural essence.’ The county collaborated with Seoul National University’s Graduate School of Environmental Studies to carefully study Gochang-gun’s unique resources, including mountainous areas, hills, rivers, and farmland. Voices calling for mid- to long-term rural spatial planning at not only city, county, and district levels but also on a national scale are louder than ever. Professor Son Yonghoon of Seoul National University’s Graduate School of Environmental Studies emphasized at the ‘Rural Essence Forum’ jointly hosted by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and the Rural Development Administration, "Concerns about local extinction are high, but at the same time, an opportunity has come to envision a new future for rural areas," adding, "What is important is appropriate regulation for the value of rural spaces and natural environment conservation, as well as rational and practically operable spatial planning principles tailored to the characteristics of each region."

Currently, the government is promoting legislation centered on mandating the establishment of rural spatial restructuring and functional regeneration plans and introducing seven rural specialized zones. However, data for establishing rural spatial plans is severely lacking, and objective logic for the location and planning criteria of rural specialized zones must be prepared. A business model for restoring rural essence that encompasses jobs, housing, and welfare also needs to be developed. The Rural Development Administration supports the preparation of various detailed guidelines and grounds necessary for legislation. The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and the Rural Development Administration plan to complete the standardization of 50 types of spatial databases (DB) for rural areas by the end of this year.

They also aim to set designation criteria for rural specialized zones such as landscape agriculture and agricultural heritage by December. A spatial regeneration model utilizing idle rural spaces is also expected to be derived within the year. Kim Sangbeom, Agricultural Researcher at the Rural Environment Resources Division of the National Institute of Agricultural Sciences, stated, "Legislation on rural spatial planning must be realized to improve the quality of rural life and promote the influx of young people and urban residents," adding, "Functional regeneration of rural spaces as workplaces, resting places, and living spaces is urgently needed." To achieve this, a data management system is urgently required, and research and development (R&D) for field acceptability, including designation criteria, setting methods, and cases of rural specialized zones, must precede.

Participants are taking a commemorative photo at the kickoff meeting of the 'Nongchondaum Forum.' The Nongchondaum Forum has been operating since June to support rural spatial planning policies, led by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and the Rural Development Administration.

Aligned with the Yoon Seok-yeol administration’s term, a roadmap is also planned through 2027. First, after completing the construction and standardization of service and infrastructure data by sector?living, social, environmental, and cultural?the final goal is to build a data-driven rural spatial management system and develop a rural regeneration index. Starting next year, rural spatial plans aimed at preserving rural essence will develop model planning districts for field application and prepare spatial management guidelines considering population, housing and settlement environment, and ecosystems. Evaluation criteria and models for spatial functions will also be created. Ultimately, rural spaces will be transformed digitally and regenerated as energy self-sufficient areas based on carbon neutrality. The ‘Rural Essence Forum,’ operating since June as a public-private-academic platform to review these rural spatial planning policies, gather opinions, and derive issues or improvement measures by sector, has held three sessions through last month.

Dr. Jo Youngjae of the Chungnam Research Institute emphasized, "Rural spatial planning should establish itself as an efficient system that selectively provides regulations and incentives suited to field characteristics." Dr. Lee Chahi of the Korea Research Institute for Human Settlements expressed expectations, saying, "If rural specialized zones maintain and strengthen existing rural functions while expanding new rural essence, various differentiated spaces reflecting regional characteristics will emerge."