South Korea expands depopulation list to 92 municipalities, adding three new areas
South Korea has designated three additional municipalities as depopulation zones, raising the total at risk to 92.
In a recent briefing, the interior ministry added Geumjeong Ward of Busan, the city of Tongyeong, and Dongducheon north of Seoul to South Korea's list of municipalities facing possible regional extinction, bringing the count to 92. The list, first compiled in 2021, now includes 16 locations in South Jeolla, 15 in North Gyeongsang, and 12 each in South Gyeongsang and Gangwon provinces, among others. The expansion underscores the country's struggle with persistently low fertility and an over-concentrated capital area.
To counteract the decline, the government has set up a local extinction response fund that allocates 1 trillion won annually for revitalisation projects. Interior Minister Yun Ho-jung pledged that support will be tailored to each area's specific conditions.
Why it matters
The expansion highlights South Korea's growing demographic challenges and the government's effort to prevent regional decline.
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