Designation as a Youth-Friendly City and Development of the Geochang-Style Medical Welfare Town
Proactive Administration to Address the Risk of Regional Extinction
On December 12, Geochang County in South Gyeongsang Province received the Grand Prize in the “Local Administration (Regional Innovation)” category at the “2025 TV Chosun Management Awards” organized by TV Chosun.
With the vision of “A Greater Leap for Geochang, An Era of Happiness for Residents,” Geochang County has proactively responded to the risk of regional extinction by implementing a range of initiatives: youth-friendly policies enabling young people in rural areas to settle and grow with a vision; the establishment of a year-round emergency medical system; expansion of public healthcare infrastructure including the promotion of a medical welfare town; the development of an educational advancement special zone and school complex projects; and the operation of an administrative council for joint response to the risk of regional extinction among four counties in northwestern South Gyeongsang Province.
Through these efforts, Geochang County ranked first in population among counties in South Gyeongsang Province for two consecutive years and achieved a total fertility rate of 1.20 in 2024, placing first in the province and eighteenth nationwide.
In particular, Geochang County, which will be designated as Korea’s first Youth-Friendly City in February 2025, has established an institutional foundation by creating the first dedicated youth policy department among counties in South Gyeongsang Province, formulating a basic youth plan, and enacting youth-related ordinances. The county has also implemented practical self-reliance support policies such as the Youth Leap Fund, Stepping Stone Savings Account, and Marriage Congratulatory Fund, and has worked to create three major spaces for youth-culture, housing, and jobs.
As a result of these initiatives, the youth hub “Geochang Youth Sai” opened in July 2023, and the youth rental housing complex “Geochang Youth Nuri” began accepting residents in December following its completion ceremony. Additionally, the Youth Startup Support Center, which is being prepared to promote youth entrepreneurship and job creation, is scheduled to break ground in January 2026 with the goal of completion in 2027.
Furthermore, Geochang County’s innovative policies have been recognized for their strategic response to regional extinction, such as the relocation and reconstruction of Geochang Red Cross Hospital, designated as a regional responsible medical institution, in conjunction with the development of a “medical welfare town” integrating a public postpartum care center, Happiness Cancer Center, and Childcare Dream Center. The county is also pursuing the “Children’s Paradise: Geochang 012 Care” project, which aims to eliminate childcare burdens for children aged 0 to 12 by linking the construction of a school complex at Geochang Elementary School.
The Geochang Medical Welfare Town, which is being closely watched by residents, is a major project that will comprehensively provide medical, childcare, and care services through the integration of facilities. It is expected to serve as a hub facility not only for western South Gyeongsang Province but also for neighboring cities and counties. The project is progressing smoothly, with the groundbreaking ceremony for the site held in October this year marking the first step.
A Geochang County official stated, “This award has become a meaningful opportunity to advance policies addressing the crisis of regional extinction faced by all local governments, including ours,” and added, “We will continue to pursue innovative policies to turn the current crisis into a new opportunity.”
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