Hamyang-gun, Population Decline Response Plan ... Survey for Out-of-Town Residents

Collecting Opinions for Hometown U-Turn of Retired Returnees

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Choi Soon-kyung] Hamyang-gun, Gyeongnam announced on the 16th that it will conduct a survey to collect opinions on 'Hometown U-turn' targeting overseas emigrants in order to establish efficient population increase measures amid the risk of regional extinction due to continuous population decline.

As of the end of 2022, the population of Hamyang-gun was 37,708, a decrease of 602 compared to the end of the previous year. Although the number of people moving in was 2,284, which is 29 more than those moving out, the number of births was 101, which is 631 less than deaths and removals, resulting in an annual population decline.

Accordingly, Hamyang-gun has proactively prepared various policies that allow baby boomer emigrants who left their hometown to live in cities to return to their hometown by collecting diverse opinions on returning home through this survey.

Gyeongnam Hamyang County Office.

The survey, conducted from the 20th to the 31st, will be carried out in a face-to-face manner through dedicated village officials and village heads targeting emigrants visiting their hometown during the Lunar New Year holiday, along with an online method via the Hamyang-gun website.

The survey content mainly includes necessary business areas and facilities to respond to population decline, future intention to reside in Hamyang-gun, and specific reasons for having or not having the intention to reside. The analyzed results will be used to discover various policies and reflected in the establishment of the basic plan to respond to population decline in Hamyang-gun in the future.

Jin Byeong-yeong, the county governor, said, “Through various support measures such as improving living conditions and discovering customized policies for emigrants, we plan to actively support retired emigrants preparing for their second chapter of life to start a new life in their hometown Hamyang where they were born and raised.” He added, “Furthermore, we will continuously foster new industries and attract companies to revitalize the local economy, overcoming the risk of regional extinction and creating a sustainable Hamyang.”