인구감소지역의 유형에 따른 특성분석과 정책방향 - 복합지표 선정과 활용을 바탕으로

Analyzing the Characteristics and Policy Directions of Depopulating Region Types : Based on the Selection and Utilization of Composite Indicators

Population decline is a complex challenge facing modern cities, exerting broad and profound effects on the physical structure of urban spaces, economic vitality, and social sustainability. Therefore, population decline should be understood not merely as a demographic issue but as a comprehensive regional problem intricately linked to various sectors such as housing, society, economy, welfare, and culture. Accordingly, precise diagnosis and differentiated policy approaches are urgently required for the establishment of region-specific policies. In this study, we comprehensively analyzed indicators in the fields of population, housing, society, and economy for the 89 local governments designated as population decline regions. We then categorized them into five clusters—potential development type, urban decline type, aging and shrinking type, complex crisis type, and settlement vulnerability type—reflecting the heterogeneity of population decline patterns and structural differences between regions. Each type exhibits distinct structural characteristics in terms of the causes of population decline, the quality of the residential environment, the social welfare infrastructure, and the level of economic vitality, necessitating differentiated response strategies accordingly.