Analyzing the Determinants of In-migration Promotion as a Strategy for Regional Governance in Response to Korea's Regional Extinction Crisis

Analyzing the Determinants of In-migration Promotion as a Strategy for Regional Governance in Response to Korea's Regional Extinction Crisis

This study analyzes the spatial determinants influencing interregional in-migration promotion in South Korea and seeks to reframe regional governance as a strategic response to structural challenges such as population decline and regional extinction. The research investigates how factors influencing in-migration promotion may support a regional governance model centered not on metropolitan cities, but rather on adjacent medium-to-large-sized cities. This analysis offers policy perspective on the direction of regional governance. Spatial statistical analysis reveals that population movement is not random, but is significantly influenced by spatially correlated variables such as employment opportunities, transportation accessibility, aging rates, and income levels. These factors reflect economic stability, access to essential infrastructure, and demographic preferences of different regions, thereby explaining the mechanisms through which specific areas emerge as population inflow hubs. Cities such as Suwon and Hwaseong-adjacent to major metropolitan areas but possessing independent growth potential-have emerged as primary centers of in-migration promotion, rather than mega-cities like Seoul or Busan. This suggests the need to move beyond conventional metropolitan governance paradigms and adopt an approach focused on functional integration within practical living zones. This study proposes a reconfiguration of regional governance based on the principles of New Regionalism, emphasizing functional expansion of public services and quality-of-life improvements rather than mere spatial consolidation.