From Relationship Population to Settled Residents
Yecheon-Style Rural Migration Model in Full Swing
Yecheon County hosted a special rural migration and settlement program in the heart of Seoul, captivating the interest of urban residents.
On the 17th, the county held the "Fan Academy in Seoul," introducing the charms and living conditions of Yecheon to prospective rural migrants and settlers, and officially launching efforts to attract new residents.
This event focused not just on increasing the population, but on practically expanding the concept of "relationship population."
The term "living population" refers to people who, beyond those officially registered as residents, stay in or maintain various types of connections with the region. Yecheon County views these individuals as potential future settlers and is establishing ongoing exchange structures to engage them.
Following the first academy held on September 26, Yecheon County will hold a total of four Fan Academy sessions, including this second round.
During the upcoming "Yecheon Archery Festival" and "Yecheon Agricultural Products Festival" at the end of October, participants will have the opportunity to visit Yecheon in person, experience the festivals, and tour successful rural migration and settlement cases through the "Fan Fam Tour in Yecheon."
In December, the county also plans to hold the "Yecheon Fan Festival" to maintain relationships and build a practical network for continued regional participation.
At the event, the "Yecheon Archery Festival" and "Yecheon Agricultural Products Festival," scheduled from October 31 to November 2, were also actively promoted.
The Yecheon Archery Festival will showcase the essence of traditional archery culture, including demonstrations of bow making and experiences with traditional archery. At the Agricultural Products Festival, visitors can purchase Yecheon’s apples, green onions, and perilla oil directly from producers, and enjoy unique local content such as the "Yecheon Green Onion Star" and "Yecheon Apple World Cup."
Kim Hakdong, Governor of Yecheon County, stated, "Through the Fan Academy, we will actively support urban residents in building emotional connections with Yecheon, ultimately leading to rural migration and settlement. We will do our utmost to establish Yecheon as a rural area where people want to live and a hometown where they want to stay."
Yecheon County’s "Fan Academy" is more than just a promotional program; it is an exemplary attempt to create a "relationship population" through emotional connections with urban residents. In this era of population decline, Yecheon’s "living population strategy" is drawing attention as a new solution to the crisis of local extinction.
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