Damyang County to Invest 26.9 Billion Won to Address Population Decline

Committee Convenes to Review Four Major Strategies and Fifteen Projects

Damyang County Office building exterior.

Damyang County in Jeollanam-do is taking active measures to address population decline by investing 26.9 billion KRW.

According to the county on the 18th, the Population Decline Response Committee was held the previous day to review specific implementation plans to address population decline.

As of last year, the proportion of elderly population aged 65 and over in Damyang was 35.6%. The region had already entered a super-aged society (where the elderly population exceeds 20%) in 2014.

The county’s basic plan to respond to population decline, under the vision of “Damyang, a green premium city where everyone is happy,” includes four main strategies and 15 projects: increasing the resident population, revitalizing the local economy, fostering key local talent, and building community networks.

Based on this basic plan, 11 ongoing and new projects have been confirmed for this year’s implementation plan to address population decline, with a total project budget of 26.9 billion KRW (7.7 billion from funds, 1.31 billion from the national government, 2.42 billion from local government, and 1.55 billion from private investment).

Major projects include: ▲Establishment of a Local Vitality Town (4.541 billion KRW) ▲Damyang Samman Job-Linked Supportive Housing (17 billion KRW) ▲Public Rental Housing (2.2 billion KRW) ▲Smart Farm Infrastructure Construction (1 billion KRW) ▲Support for Startup-type Farming Facilities (1.25 billion KRW) ▲Basic Agricultural Technology Education for New Farmers (30 million KRW) ▲Provision of Cultivation Practice Opportunities (320 million KRW) ▲Support for Stay through Remodeling of Vacant Houses (250 million KRW), among others.

The county has finalized the implementation plan to address population decline this year after collecting residents’ opinions and reviewing it at the committee meeting, and will focus on these measures to respond to the decreasing population.

Jung Kwangsun, acting county governor, emphasized, “Population decline is the most critical issue that must be resolved for the future of Damyang. We will create a green premium city where everyone is happy by discovering projects that reflect the opinions of various groups and by implementing customized strategies for each stage of life.”