This study seeks to find how to diversify rural areas‘ economies in the following fields; local characteristic industries, industry location, local festivals, and housing industries in rural areas. A national mega-regionalization in an post-industrialization trend is an opportunity as well as a threat to rural areas. Which area takes advantage of this opportunity is dependent upon its unique conditions such as natural resource and accumulated industrial technologies.
To vitalize local characteristic industries, it is necessary to leave local governments' discretion in selecting industries. Furthermore, it is necessary to search for local areas' natural resource and to develop fields to valorize area's unique natural and historical resource.
It is indispensable for rural areas to be focused on development of agricultural and industrial complex to reshape area's societal and economic landscape. The agricultural and industrial complex in rural areas need to cooperate with neighboring cities in order to keep pace with their development.
It is local festivals to play a major role in diversifying local economies. A desirable local festival need to encourage local areas to compete each other, to develop strategies to attract adjacent city dwellers, to secure trust of local characteristic goods, and to encourage local people to actively participate in the festival.
Lastly, housing policies in rural areas should compass local condition including housings, towns, industries, income, and regional development. In addition to these conditions, local governments need to consider how to improve single elders residential environments. Even though housing markets in rural areas have incomplete infrastructures and market systems, they have diverse sub-markets. Therefore, local governments need to develop housing policies according to sub-markets based on housing markets' specification in rural areas.


Researchers: Dong-Phil Lee, Jeong-Seop Kim, Jun-Pyo Hong, Seon-Bae Kim, Kang-Hwan Cheong, Yoon-Ho Park
E-mail address: ldphil@krei.re.kr