Government releases 2025 return-to-farming, fishing and rural migration statistics; farming arrivals up 8.5%, fishing up 5.8%

Graphics on 2025 return-to-farming, fishing and rural migration statistics [Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs; Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries; Ministry of Statistics]
Graphics on 2025 return-to-farming, fishing and rural migration statistics [Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs; Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries; Ministry of Statistics]

Amid a broader decline in domestic population movement, migration to farming and fishing villages bucked the trend last year. While the number of people relocating to rural areas overall fell, those specifically returning to farming or fishing increased — and areas participating in a rural basic income pilot program saw a sharp influx of new residents.

According to the "2025 Return-to-Farming, Fishing and Rural Migration Statistics" released Thursday by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, and the Ministry of Statistics, the number of people who returned to farming last year reached 11,617 — an 8.5 percent increase from the previous year. The number of farming-returnee households also rose 6.0 percent to 8,735.

Fishing returnees also increased. Last year's total reached 753, up 5.8 percent from the year before, while fishing-returnee households rose 5.6 percent to 586.

By contrast, the number of people moving to rural areas in general fell 2.2 percent to 413,464, and rural-migrant households declined 0.5 percent to 316,977. Officials attributed the drop to an overall contraction in domestic population movement.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs said the second baby boom generation entering full-scale retirement, along with the spread of agricultural mechanization and automation, contributed to the rise in farming returnees.

Farming returnees aged 70 and older increased 17.3 percent from the previous year, and female farming returnees rose 15.4 percent. Women accounted for 37.0 percent of all farming returnees and those aged 70 or older made up 8.5 percent — both record highs.

The profile of farming returnees is also shifting. As more people move back to join family already living in rural areas — a pattern known as family business succession — mixed-household returnees expanded to 33.1 percent of the total. Those who farm while holding outside jobs accounted for 32.6 percent.

Goheung-gun in South Jeolla Province attracted the most farming returnees with 153 people, followed by Sinan-gun in South Jeolla Province and Uiseong-gun in North Gyeongsang Province (138 each), Sangju in North Gyeongsang Province (125), and Naju in South Jeolla Province (121).

Sinan-gun in South Jeolla Province drew the most fishing returnees with 82 people. Taean-gun in South Chungcheong Province (59), Yeosu in South Jeolla Province (57), Buan-gun in North Jeolla Province (50), and Boryeong in South Chungcheong Province (44) followed.

One of the most notable findings was the apparent effect of the rural basic income pilot program.

The seven areas designated last October as pilot sites for the rural basic income project saw an average 37.8 percent increase in new rural residents — a sign that the program drew people in even as overall rural migration declined.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs said the basic income policy appears to have played a meaningful role in attracting residents to the pilot areas, which include Hwacheon in Gangwon Province, Boeun in North Chungcheong Province, Jinan and Muju in North Jeolla Province, Gurye and Boseong in South Jeolla Province, and Cheongsong in North Gyeongsang Province.

Reverse migration remained a concern, however. Among those who had returned to farming within the past five years, 1,969 moved back to cities, while 184,144 of those who had relocated to rural areas in general also returned to urban life.

"It is significant that farming returnees increased at a time when both the overall population and domestic migration are declining," said Yun Won-seup, agricultural policy director at the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. "We will expand the provision of information on jobs, vacant homes and farmland to help farming and rural returnees settle stably in the countryside."


adastra@heraldcorp.com