Korea Research Institute for Human Settlements report calls for paradigm shift in regional development policy as population declines

Report urges focus on strengthening existing hubs — including provincial cities and innovation cities — rather than creating new ones

A report by the Korea Research Institute for Human Settlements argues that regional balanced-development policy should focus on strengthening the competitiveness of existing hubs — such as major non-capital-region cities — rather than creating new ones as South Korea enters an era of population decline. [Provided by Korea Research Institute for Human Settlements]
A report by the Korea Research Institute for Human Settlements argues that regional balanced-development policy should focus on strengthening the competitiveness of existing hubs — such as major non-capital-region cities — rather than creating new ones as South Korea enters an era of population decline. [Provided by Korea Research Institute for Human Settlements]

As South Korea enters an era of population decline, regional balanced-development policy should shift its focus from creating new hubs to strengthening the competitiveness of existing ones, a new report argues.

The report, titled "Paradigm Shift and Practical Tasks for Balanced National Development," was published Tuesday in the Korea Research Institute for Human Settlements' "Land Policy Brief." It draws on expert surveys and comparisons of overseas balanced-development policies to reach its conclusions.

The findings lend support to the government's stated principle — in pursuing a second round of public institution relocations out of the Greater Seoul area — of minimizing institutions that remain in the capital region while concentrating relocations around existing innovation cities.

The report argues that while equity was the central value of balanced development during a period of population growth, sustainability must now accompany it during population decline. It says there is an urgent need to move away from a "trickle-down" and uniform-distribution model toward a "compact and network" approach centered on concentrated, connected development.

In spatial terms, the report highlights a shift from building new hubs to reinforcing existing ones, and identifies major non-capital-region cities as the spaces most in need of focused development. For lagging regions, it calls for moving away from uniform, across-the-board support toward a differentiated system tied to measurable improvements in underdevelopment indicators. Securing long-term budget sustainability and consolidating fragmented ministry-level support programs are identified as the top priorities.

Looking ahead, the report raises the need to ensure coherence between the five-pole, three-special-zone framework, balanced-growth strategies, and supra-regional special agreements and their implementation plans. It also calls for more active contract-based governance and for linking various special zone designations — including mega, urban convergence and opportunity development zones — and job creation strategies to national policy priorities.

Experts surveyed for the report largely acknowledged the contribution of past balanced-development policies, with 77.5 percent giving them credit. However, 80 percent rated their overall effectiveness as only "average." Persistent problems cited include the continued concentration of population and resources in the Greater Seoul area and the disappearance of local communities (55 percent each), as well as entrenched disparities in resources between regions (55 percent).

In response, there was broad support among experts for "differentiated support based on regional capacity" as the preferred approach to project selection and budget allocation, with 60 percent backing the idea. Support for "strengthening local government autonomy" also scored highly, averaging 5.50 out of 7.

"The concept of 'balanced development' is generally understood as a policy process aimed at equalizing — or at least meeting minimum standards for — social, economic and cultural conditions and quality of life across regions, but there is no agreed-upon definition," said Jeong Woo-seong, a research fellow at the institute. "That means the direction of policy can vary depending on who is using the term and in what context. Balanced development in an era of population decline must be redefined on the premise of sustainability, and we must shift to a 'concentration and connectivity' approach that strengthens the competitiveness of existing hubs, including major cities outside the capital region."


smh@heraldcorp.com