South Korea's Urban-Rural Divide and Population Crisis

Seoul as a Magnet

• Seoul attracts young South Koreans due to job opportunities.
• Capital is blamed for low birth rate; stakes high for rebalancing urban-rural divide.
• South Korea faces potential economic and societal decline if trends continue.

Education and Internal Migration

• Prestigious universities located in Seoul (SCA: Seoul National University, Korea University, Yonsei University).
• Education drives migration to Seoul; graduating from Seoul universities promises higher income.
• 92,000 people moved to Seoul for academics last year.
• Over 50% of South Korea's population resides in the Seoul metropolitan area.
• Population concentration in Seoul due to economic development strategy from the 1960s and 1970s.

Economic Impact

• Seoul area produces more than half of South Korea's GDP.
• Rural areas are emptying, with many local governments at risk of extinction.
• Young people are moving quickly to Seoul from other cities like Busan.
• 30% of Seoul’s population is aged 20-30; highest proportion of young people in the country.

Employment Concentration in Seoul

• Over 50% of large companies located in Seoul.
• The environment preferred by innovative people.
• High costs of living and housing in Seoul.
• Goshiwans (small, low-cost housing) are common but uncomfortable.

Demographic Crisis

• Low birth rates and aging population; fertility rate at 0.68, world’s lowest.
• High cost of child-rearing, especially in Seoul.
• Government’s attempts to boost birth rates (e.g., baby bonuses) have been ineffective.

Rural Decline

• Rural areas face school closures and depopulation.
• Government initiatives aim to revitalize countryside and balance population distribution.
• Migrant labor plugging workforce gaps in rural areas.

Solutions and Challenges

• New administrative capital Sejong being developed to redistribute population.
• Some migration out of Seoul observed (kwi-chon phenomenon).
• Need for balanced development and systemic changes to address demographic issues.

Government Response

• President announced a new ministry for population strategy.
• Special Act on Balanced National Development passed.
• South Korea’s demographic problem characterized as a national emergency.

The ongoing urban migration continues to challenge South Korea’s societal and economic future as Seoul maintains its pull, while the countryside struggles with depopulation and aging, demanding immediate and strategic interventions.