State housing firm partners with think tank LHRI to sharpen expertise; results delivered in person or online

A concept diagram of the regional vitality town project. [LH]
A concept diagram of the regional vitality town project. [LH]

Korea Land and Housing Corp. (LH) announced Wednesday it will provide free consulting to metropolitan and basic local governments outside Greater Seoul and Jeju Island to support the development of "regional vitality towns."

The regional vitality town project aims to revitalize rural communities by combining residential and lifestyle infrastructure with community services to improve living conditions and help retirees and those returning to rural areas settle stably.

Starting this year, the program shifted from a government-run competitive application process to a "voluntary application system" under which local governments independently select projects suited to their conditions and draw up their own budgets. In response, LH established a dedicated consulting unit to deliver swift, tailored support aligned with each municipality's project timeline. The corporation also partnered with its think tank, the Land and Housing Research Institute (LHRI), to strengthen its expertise.

The consulting service will be available from the earliest planning stages, when local governments are first conceptualizing a regional vitality town project. It will cover a broad range of areas: project goals, detailed plans, feasibility, local demand, implementation viability, governance structures and expected outcomes.

Local governments wishing to participate can submit an application and project plan to their LH contact. LH will conduct a preliminary review before delivering its consulting findings either in person or online.

"We plan to work closely with local governments so that regional vitality towns can take root as new growth hubs for communities facing the threat of depopulation," said Kang O-sun, head of LH's Regional Balance Division. "LH will continue to strengthen its public role and do its utmost to create environments that attract people to rural areas and restore their vitality."

Meanwhile, LH held its 2026 responsible management pledge ceremony in March, selecting key priorities including "regional economic revitalization linked to five poles and three special zones."


hwshin@heraldcorp.com