Research Reports
Analysis of Self-sufficiency in Rural Areas and Policy Suggestions for its Improvement
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AuthorSong, Miryung
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Publication Date2010.10.01
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Original
Depressed rural economy is a prime determinant of declining population in rural areas. Apparently rural Korea, with no exception, is locked in a vicious spiral that depressed rural economy causes rural population decrease, which, in turn, leads to lower demand for public and commercial services and therefore to fewer and lower quality services, and that eventually this drop in number and quality of rural services will result in rural population decrease, causing further economic depression.
There are number of ways to prevent declining rural population and depressed rural economy from reinforcing each other. One of them is to increase the number of, and improve the quality of, rural services so that rural areas become nicer place to live and that more jobs are created in the service sector. Especially it is essential to improve the levels of educational, medical and cultural services in order to stop income leakage. These service improvements will put a halt to rural population from declining, will create more service sector jobs, and will invigorate rural economy and rural areas eventually.
The aim of this study is to suggest a number of strategies for rural areas to achieve self-sufficiency. For this, literature and policy reviews are carried out, and relevant data are collected and analyzed. Especially policies aimed at improving rural self-sufficiency and a number of case areas are carefully examined to sort out policy attainments and problems.
From this analysis five policy strategies are suggested. They are (1) developing local conditions to minimize income leakage, (2) improving rural services in terms of their numbers and qualities, (3) rural job creation through public policy programs and projects, (4) integrated approach to restructuring and improvement of rural setting and living environment and economic diversification, and (5) upgrading and improving public policy programs and projects and their functional-regional coordination.
Researchers: Mi-Ryung Song and Young-Dan Kim
Research Period: 2010.1~2010.10
E-mail Address: mrsong@krei.re.kr
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