Saemaeul Men's and Women's Association Declares "Population ON"
Field-Based Solutions Connect Migration, Settlement, and Daily Life
Public-Private Cooperation in Action
Efforts by the local community to transform Gamcheon from a rural area people are leaving into one where people gather and settle have begun in earnest. The Saemaeul Men's and Women's Association of Gamcheon-myeon has officially launched an on-site campaign to restore the population, marking the starting point for revitalizing the region, initiated by the residents themselves.
On January 9 at 5:00 p.m., the Saemaeul Men's and Women's Association of Gamcheon-myeon officially declared its commitment to increasing the population under the slogan "Gamcheon Population ON!" at the site of a major administrative project briefing in Gamcheon-myeon.
This event was held in conjunction with an administrative project sharing session organized by the Gamcheon-myeon Administrative Welfare Center, providing a forum for residents to discuss the administrative direction and local issues of Gamcheon-myeon in 2026.
The association recognized the structural crisis of population decline not as a challenge for the administration alone, but as a responsibility for the entire local community, and presented implementation strategies closely connected to everyday life.
Plans include ongoing initiatives focused on making Gamcheon a place where people want to stay after experiencing it, such as promotional activities to attract new residents, creating a welcoming community atmosphere to support settlement, building a child-friendly village environment, and spreading a positive image as a destination for returnees and newcomers to rural life.
Chairman Park Jonghwa stated, "The population issue is not a task for the administration alone, but a challenge that the entire local community must address together. The Saemaeul Men's and Women's Association will take the lead with small but continuous actions to help Gamcheon-myeon become a place where people want to live and settle."
Chairwoman Ji Unseon also emphasized, "Based on the Saemaeul spirit of caring for neighbors and maintaining the warmth of our community, we will continue activities that provide practical support for increasing the population and revitalizing the region."
An official from Gamcheon-myeon commented, "The voluntary commitment and actions of the Saemaeul Men's and Women's Association are a major driving force for the administration. Moving forward, we will continue to foster close cooperation between the public and private sectors to restore population vitality and achieve sustainable regional development together."
Meanwhile, the Saemaeul Men's and Women's Association of Gamcheon-myeon has built trust within the community through activities closely tied to daily life, such as sharing, volunteer work, environmental clean-up, and promoting filial piety. The "Gamcheon Population ON!" campaign is the first attempt to expand this hands-on experience to the core issue of population recovery, and is expected to serve as a meaningful turning point for strengthening Gamcheon's future competitiveness.
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