Population Drops to 40,090 in March... Down 0.76% in Three Months
All Residents Mobilized to Attract Newcomers with "Relocation Responsibility Quota System" and More
Pyeongchang County in Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province (Governor Shim Jaeguk) announced on April 22 that it has officially launched a county-wide initiative to safeguard its population, aiming to prevent the number of residents from falling below 40,000.
The building of Pyeongchang County Office in Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province. Photo by Pyeongchang County Office
To this end, Pyeongchang County will hold a meeting on the afternoon of April 22 to encourage participation in the county-wide “Pyeongchang Love Address Campaign.” The meeting will be attended by representatives from major public institutions such as the Pyeongchang County Council, the police station, the fire station, and the Office of Education, as well as social organizations, financial institutions, and local resorts, with more than 30 local institution leaders expected to participate.
The meeting will begin with a report on Pyeongchang County's population trends and policies addressing local extinction, followed by the screening of a related video, a discussion among institution heads, and a pledge to participate in the “Address Campaign.”
Based on its recently established “All-Out Action Plan to Safeguard a Population of 40,000,” Pyeongchang County announced that it will pursue practical measures to attract new residents, such as increasing relocation support payments, implementing a relocation responsibility quota system, and strengthening public-private cooperation frameworks.
According to resident registration statistics from the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, the population of Pyeongchang County decreased by 306 people, or 0.76%, from 40,396 in December 2024 to 40,090 in March 2025 over a three-month period. While the number of annual births in Pyeongchang County remains at around 100, the number of deaths stands at 30 to 40 per month, resulting in a rapid natural decrease in the population.
Pyeongchang County is considering raising the current relocation support payment, which is 50,000 won for residents moving to Pyeongchang from other regions, to as much as 300,000 won.
Governor Shim Jaeguk of Pyeongchang County stated, “We are in a crisis where even a single resident is invaluable. Safeguarding a population of 40,000 is not a matter of choice, but of survival, and the administration, institutions, and residents will work together to ensure successful relocation and settlement.”
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