Selected as Regional Vitality Towns including Yesan, Goesan, and Damyang
Providing customized residential hubs combining housing, culture, and welfare
"Hoping to serve as a catalyst for improving local living conditions..."
The government is creating rural villages in places like Inje, Gangwon Province, to support retirees and young people returning to farming or relocating to rural areas in settling down locally.
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced on the 2nd that, together with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, and the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, it has selected seven local governments through a public contest for the 'Regional Vitality Town' project. The selected areas are Inje, Yesan in Chungnam, Goesan in Chungbuk, Damyang in Jeonnam, Namwon in Jeonbuk, Geochang in Gyeongnam, and Cheongdo in Gyeongbuk.
The Regional Vitality Town project supports migration and settlement in rural areas. It identifies demand and provides customized residential hubs combining housing, culture, and welfare. A government official explained, "Although demand for migration to rural areas is increasing due to the aging of the baby boomer generation and the expansion of the returning-to-rural population, it is difficult to secure quality housing and infrastructure is also lacking. We plan to provide various types and supply methods of housing tailored to needs and integrate essential living services through inter-ministerial cooperation."
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism will establish national sports centers in the selected areas. The Ministry of Agriculture will support joint childcare and social farms, while the Ministry of Health and Welfare will provide customized elderly care and emergency safety services. The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries will develop fishing village economic and living infrastructure, and the Ministry of SMEs and Startups will promote job creation projects.
The core rural villages will consist of townhouse-style sale and rental housing. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport will manage the public contest process to ensure stable housing supply and infrastructure support, while the Ministry of the Interior and Safety will implement various cooperative projects using funds to counter local extinction. Local governments will support permits for complex development and establish libraries, cinemas, and community cultural centers. Korea Land and Housing Corporation (LH) will participate as a project operator if necessary to provide demand-tailored housing and infrastructure. A government official stated, "We plan to apply energy-saving technologies and barrier-free designs, and recruit capable advisory architects to bring out the unique characteristics of each region."
The blueprint has already been drawn. Inje will invest 50.2 billion won to develop 93 townhouse and youth rental housing units on a 19,640㎡ area within walking distance of the KTX Inje Station, scheduled to open in 2027. Yesan will invest 15.7 billion won to build 25 communal housing units for local young entrepreneurs on a 137,600㎡ area near Yesan Market.
Goesan will invest 24.3 billion won to supply 40 townhouses and 15 detached house lots on a 34,866㎡ area behind the Kim Hang-muk old house. Nearby, a garden plant smart farm and social agricultural care farm will also be established. Damyang will invest 126.7 billion won to create 500 housing units for retirees in Maesan-ri, Daedeok-myeon (2,683,770㎡), close to Gwangju Metropolitan City. Namwon will invest 27 billion won to build 36 townhouses, 32 detached houses, and 10 tiny houses (temporary residences) at an elevation of 600m on the slopes of Jirisan (33,993㎡) for returnees and migrants.
Geochang will invest 27.7 billion won to develop 32 townhouse units and 18 detached houses for professional retirees near Geochang University and Korea Elevator University (29,995㎡), along with a complex cultural center and a national sports center. Cheongdo will invest 39.6 billion won to build 20 detached houses and 30 rental housing units on a 38,889㎡ area in Beomgok-ri, and support a community cultural center and employment and startup support centers. Moon Sung-yo, Director of the Land and Urban Office, said, "Each location is based on excellent sites and will become highly attractive residential spaces. We hope this will serve as a catalyst to improve local living conditions."
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