"Once a Military Village of 1,000 Residents, Now Only Vacant and Abandoned Homes Remain"... The Plight of Baegui-ri [134,000 Vacant Homes Report] ④

County-Level and Rural Population Decline Fuel Proliferation of Vacant Homes
Government and Local Authorities Focus on Remodeling for Utilization
Residential Improvement Without Infrastructure Faces Limits in Attracting New Residents
After-the-Fact Management Measures Highlight Limits in Preventing Vacant Homes

Editor's Note'17,603 households.' This is the number of vacant homes in Seoul, Gyeonggi, and Incheon where no one lives. When expanded nationwide, the figure rises to 134,009 households. Even in urban areas known for housing shortages, the number of vacant homes is steadily increasing. Vacant homes in cities soon turn into abandoned houses. The structures remain, but they become zombie homes unfit for habitation. In particular, once these vacant homes appear, they spread like an epidemic. The proliferation of vacant homes creates crime-prone areas and can lead to the decline of entire villages into ghost towns. Asia Economy aims to shed light on the issue of vacant homes spreading throughout cities and, over the course of five articles, present measures for prevention and management.

"There was a time when 1,000 people lived in this village. The problem wasn't vacant homes, but rather that there were too many people."

On May 15, Yoon Younggi (63), the village head of Baegui 2-ri, a rural village in Yeoncheon-gun, Gyeonggi Province, sighed deeply. Baegui-ri, where Yoon was born and raised, is closer to Kaesong in North Korea than to central Seoul's Jongno-gu. Currently, there are 13 vacant homes in this area. Considering that the village's population, excluding residents of the military apartment complex, is just over 300, this is a significant number. Yeoncheon-gun has designated this area as a vacant home concentration zone.

On the 15th, an abandoned house with broken doors and roof was left unattended in Baegui 2-ri, Yeoncheon-gun, Gyeonggi Province. Photo by Lee Jieun

In Yoon's memory, Baegui-ri was once a vibrant village. After the Korean War, it was a base village for a US military camp. In the 1970s, the US military unit relocated, but a special forces regiment of the Korean military settled in, sustaining the local economy. In the 1980s, as the regional economy flourished, direct buses ran between Seoul's Majang-dong and Baegui-ri every hour. However, when the military unit left the village, the local economy rapidly declined. Residents, facing bleak prospects, left for urban areas in search of jobs. As even the remaining residents passed away due to old age, the number of vacant homes increased.

The village's only supermarket also became a vacant house. Broken walls and bricks are scattered throughout the village. Unable to watch the village fall into slum-like conditions, Yoon requested the county office to demolish the vacant homes. However, the county office replied that demolition was only possible with the owners' consent. The children who inherited these vacant homes had emigrated overseas and could not be reached. Yoon is distressed every time he sees once-thriving Baegui-ri decline. He lamented that there are "too many vacant homes and homes that will soon become vacant" in Baegui-ri.

Recently, 'vacant home islands' have begun to appear in Baegui-ri and other county-level areas in Korea. These vacant homes are the result of urban decline and population decrease. This is different from the vacant homes in urban centers, which arise from failed urban development.

Village Hotels and Workations... Vacant Home Policies Focused on Remodeling

Local governments and government agencies have recently been developing policies focused on demolition and remodeling of these vacant homes. The plan is to demolish homes that are difficult to utilize and to invest budget in converting homes in better condition into hotels or rental housing, thereby attracting new residents. In 2022, Yeoncheon County Office invested 3.2 billion won to complete Baegui Village Cafe and guesthouses. Currently, these facilities are managed by a cooperative formed by Baegui-ri residents.

On the 15th, a supermarket in Baegui 2-ri, Yeoncheon-gun, Gyeonggi Province, was left abandoned as a vacant house. Photo by Lee Jieun

Government agencies are also actively working to utilize vacant homes in rural and fishing villages. The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, which oversees vacant homes in rural areas, launched a new 'Rural Vacant Home Regeneration Support Project' this year. This project selects three local governments and provides funding to convert vacant homes into residential or cultural spaces. For the three selected areas?Gangjin-gun in Jeollanam-do, Cheongdo-gun in Gyeongsangbuk-do, and Namhae-gun in Gyeongsangnam-do?a total of 2.1 billion won will be provided to each district over three years.

The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries also began a vacant home regeneration project in fishing villages this year, focusing on remodeling. The approach is to convert vacant homes into communal housing or village rest areas. In Wando-gun and Namhae-gun, which were selected as project sites, a total of 500 million won from the Rural-Fishing Village Cooperation Fund will be invested in six vacant homes.

Villages Without Infrastructure... Limits to Population Influx Through Vacant Home Remodeling

However, rural residents question the effectiveness of these remodeling projects. They believe that simply changing the spaces, without expanding infrastructure, will not be enough to retain or attract population. In fact, Baegui-ri residents said they have not experienced a noticeable influx of tourists even after opening the guesthouse.

A representative of the Baegui Village Cooperative explained, "Because there are no tourist attractions near the village, guests only visit briefly during vacation seasons, and it soon becomes quiet again. In reality, most guests are parents visiting soldiers stationed at the nearby military unit." Pastor Park Sangwoo (49), who runs a church in the village, also pointed out, "Even if vacant homes are turned into new houses, young people are unlikely to settle in the village because there are no jobs where they can earn a living."

An empty house in Baegui 2-ri, Yeoncheon-gun, Gyeonggi Province on the 15th. While the children who inherited ownership of the house delayed its disposal, part of the roof collapsed. Photo by Lee Jieun

Some point out that the government and local authorities are focusing only on post-occurrence measures. Instead of preventing the emergence of vacant homes, they are focusing solely on demolition and utilization as after-the-fact solutions.

Experts also emphasized that vacant home remodeling without job linkage is only a half-measure. Kangrae Ma, professor of urban planning and real estate at Chung-Ang University, said, "It is unrealistic to expect an increase in the young resident population in rural areas with poor job prospects simply through vacant home remodeling. Instead, policies should focus on supplying vacant homes to middle-aged and older adults preparing to return to their hometowns for retirement, while simultaneously creating small-scale local jobs."

Rural Vacant Homes: Limited to After-the-Fact Management... Need for Preventive Measures

Japan, which faced the vacant home issue before Korea, manages 'vacant home reserves.' In Setagaya Ward, Tokyo, ward office staff select vacant home reserves, focusing on single elderly households, and regularly visit to consult about disposal.

The Japanese government is also making efforts to prevent vacant homes. Since 2023, the government has designated homes with a high likelihood of becoming 'specific vacant homes' (those with safety or crime concerns) as 'neglected vacant homes.' Houses where weeds or pests are left unmanaged or where waste is left unattended for a year are subject to this designation. If designated as neglected vacant homes, owners must improve the residential environment in accordance with local government recommendations. Failure to comply may result in increased property taxes or a fine of 500,000 yen (about 4.8 million won).

Jang Namjong, Ph.D. in engineering at the University of Seoul, said, "Vacant home policies require prevention as much as post-occurrence measures. Public authorities should identify places with a high likelihood of becoming vacant homes, such as single elderly households, and provide support for reverse mortgages, inheritance, or sale consultations."