Gokseong-gun Holds Forum to Explore Countermeasures for Local Extinction Crisis

County Governor Lee Sang-cheol's Efforts to Improve Quality of Life for Residents through Influx of Daily Population
-
Need for Differentiated Strategies in 'Youth Policy,' Various Opinions Presented from All Walks of Life

Gokseong-gun, Jeollanam-do announced that on the 18th, it held the "1st Local Extinction Response Forum Gokseong" at the Gokseong Leisure Culture Center under the theme "Happy Gokseong Where People Gather."

This forum was organized to share local issues arising from Gokseong-gun's continuous population decline and the crisis of local extinction with residents, and to seek countermeasures by exchanging diverse opinions with experts and representatives from various sectors including local officials.

[Photo by Gokseong-gun]

As the first forum held in Gokseong on the theme of "local extinction," the venue was filled with about 200 participants including members of the Gokseong County Council, public officials, social and institutional organizations, and residents.

The forum began with a welcoming speech by County Governor Lee Sang-cheol and a congratulatory address by Chairman Yoon Young-gyu, followed by viewing a video on Gokseong-gun's local extinction response theme, and a ceremony involving all participants expressing their determination to overcome local extinction.

Next, the main event featured a keynote lecture by Lee Sang-rim, senior researcher at the Population Policy Research Center of Seoul National University, who emphasized that to overcome the population extinction crisis in Gokseong-gun, it is crucial to establish youth-centered policy directions and differentiated strategies tailored to each region.

Afterwards, Lee Won-do, head of the Population Decline Area Response Center at the Korea Institute of Local Administration, presented the three major population risks of low birthrate, aging, and population extinction, and proposed the necessity of national and regional strategies to actively respond to these challenges.

In particular, at this forum, Seo Dong-seon, CEO of Gokseong Farm&Dee Cooperative participating in a project to attract living population to Gokseong, and Kim Man-i, CEO of Hongseong Green Elephant, shared vivid experiences regarding the influx and settlement of young populations in rural areas, drawing attention.

During the panel discussion titled "Exploring Alternatives to Gokseong's Local Extinction Crisis Together with the Community," Oh Byung-gi, director of the Jeonnam Research Institute, served as moderator. Panelists included Kim Hong-soon, vice chairman of the Gokseong County Council; Shin Jeong-hwa, head of the Population Policy Division of Gokseong-gun; Heo Seong-gyun, executive director of the Gokseong Future Education Foundation; Seo Dong-seon, representative of the Youth Cooperative; and Lee Won-do, center director of the Korea Institute of Local Administration. They presented alternatives for local extinction from various social sectors, gaining empathy and strong responses from participants.

Governor Lee Sang-cheol stated, "Our county is striving to attract young populations from urban areas, create jobs through the establishment of rental smart farm complexes, and improve the quality of life for residents by developing accommodation facilities for stay-type tourism as part of our response to local extinction." He added, "I hope this forum has been a meaningful time that can guarantee a sustainable future for our region."

Gokseong = Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Cha Jong-seon hss79@asiae.co.kr