O Tae-wan, Uiryeong County Governor: "Extinction Risk? We Will Achieve Self-Sustainability Within 10 Years"

173 Billion Invested to Explore Influx of Resident Population Responding to Regional Extinction

Education and Accommodation Projects Linked to Future Education Center to Launch Next Year

O Tae-wan, the governor of Uiryeong-gun, Gyeongnam, is discussing measures to attract a floating population with related officials.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Wook] Uiryeong-gun, Gyeongnam Province, is focusing on discovering projects for the 'Local Extinction Response Fund' and exploring measures to attract a living population, with plans to implement them starting next year.

On the 30th of last month, the county held a meeting attended by County Governor Oh Tae-wan and heads of all departments at the Extinction Crisis Response Promotion Team, the general department, where they explained the 'Local Extinction Response Fund' and the 'Special Act on Support for Population Declining Areas,' and began preparing measures to overcome the local extinction crisis, including developing extinction crisis response policies.

Governor Oh said, "Securing a large amount of project funds is important, but it is more important that the investment projects are successfully carried out and effectively lead to population inflow," emphasizing a policy of prioritizing 'quality over quantity' in response strategies.

Uiryeong-gun has secured 17.35 billion KRW in resources through the Local Extinction Response Fund and will actively promote projects starting in 2023. Among the projects, a notable one is linked to the Gyeongsangnam-do Office of Education's Future Education Center (Future Education Theme Park), scheduled to open in May next year, which is expected to attract over 400,000 visitors annually.

The county plans to develop various educational experience programs such as expanding the Insect Ecology Learning Center and establishing an Agricultural Culture Experience Center, as well as increasing accommodation facilities by creating a Military Youth Hostel. In addition, nine projects related to jobs, tourism, and welfare will be promoted.

During the meeting, opinions were exchanged regarding measures to attract the 'living population.' Participants agreed on the necessity of policies that reflect population mobility by including the living population?those residing in the area?not limiting the population concept to administrative population only.

The county plans to separately prepare measures to expand the 'living population' and comprehensively design practical strategic population inflow measures, which will be reflected in future investment project discoveries.

Uiryeong-gun was the first in the nation to establish a dedicated organization for extinction crisis, the 'Extinction Crisis Response Promotion Team.'

Leading with the Uiryeong Youth Hope Project, the 'Youth Policy Package' project, the county is focusing on developing youth policies. It is conducting unique and practical projects such as the nation's only youth used car purchase subsidy program, driver's license acquisition cost support program, youth half-price rental housing repair cost support program, and youth moving cost support program.

The county stated that it is preparing measures to maximize youth population inflow and dramatically increase the living population. It believes that if the young energy of youth settles in Uiryeong, a reversal in population decline can be expected.

Governor Oh Tae-wan said, "Within the next 10 years, during which the Local Extinction Response Fund will be supported, we must build self-sustainability to overcome the extinction crisis," adding, "When selecting projects, it is necessary to identify and reflect what the demand side truly needs, and especially focus investments on creating youth jobs."