A transient population of 352,545... 7.7 times the registered population
"Continuous development of policies to encourage transition from temporary stays to permanent settlement"
Damyang County in South Jeolla Province (Governor Jeong Cheolwon) announced on June 30 that it ranked first in South Jeolla Province in the "Resident Population in Depopulated Areas for the Fourth Quarter of 2024," as published by Statistics Korea and the Ministry of the Interior and Safety on June 26.
During this period, Damyang County's average resident population was 398,258 people. Of these, the transient population was 352,545, while the registered population (resident registration + foreigner registration) was 45,712.
The transient population was 7.7 times larger than the registered population, marking the third consecutive quarter that Damyang County has ranked first, following the second and third quarters. The resident population is an indicator that includes not only the settled population but also those who stay in the area and contribute to its practical vitality. It is calculated by adding the "transient population"?those who spend more than three hours a day in the area for at least one day a month for purposes such as commuting, attending school, or tourism?to the registered population, which includes those with resident registration, foreigner registration, and domestic residence reports.
As of December 2023, the proportion of residents from other cities and provinces was 83.7%, which is higher than the overall average of 66.5% for all depopulated areas. The three-month revisit rate was also 45.5%, exceeding the overall revisit rate of 43.2% for depopulated areas.
By age group, those in their 50s accounted for the highest proportion at 22.1%. However, the population was evenly distributed across all age groups, indicating diverse visitor demand regardless of generation.
The county expects that the influx of the resident population will further increase once the National Garden Culture Center, scheduled to officially open this September, as well as sports facilities such as the County Residents' Sports Park, Bandabi Sports Center, and Park Golf Course, and the Southern Region Wide-Area Tourism Night Content Development Project are completed.
Reference photo of the fountain at Yeongsangang Culture Park in front of Juknokwon. Provided by Damyang County
Recently, Damyang County signed a tourism revitalization agreement with neighboring Jangseong County and is working to jointly develop regional linkage programs and projects to attract more resident population, strengthening cooperation with other local governments.
In addition, to expand the resident population and encourage settlement, since 2022, the county has utilized a total of 26.9 billion KRW from the Local Extinction Response Fund to implement or complete 34 projects. It has also secured a budget of 21.1 billion KRW for 77 population policies tailored to different life stages, such as the basic birth allowance, which are currently being operated.
Governor Jeong Cheolwon stated, "We will continue to develop customized content and policies that can lead from temporary stays to permanent settlement, in line with our achievement of having the largest resident population in the province," adding, "We will pursue comprehensive population policies to restore local vitality and establish a foundation for sustainable growth."
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