The Korea Local Administration Review

The total population decrease and associated demographic changes have been raised as a serious issue that might cause enormous social and economic effects. Such issue of demographic changes may have grater impacts on small and medium cities in Korea, who have already been suffered from socioeconomic decline. However, most studies focus on the issues of low birthrate and aging or socioeconomic effects at the macro level, and it is hard to find studies that examine actual demographic change at the local level and local government’s policy response to those local population issue. Thus, this study argues the importance and necessity of local level responses to local demographic change, and conducts an in-depth case study. Hwacheon-gun is a typical case that has paid greater attentions on the local population issue since the late 2000 and tried to create local strategies to effectively respond to those changing circumstances. This study examines the Hwacheon-gun case by looking at the actual population change and the local government’s response in terms of policy background-purpose-implication.

□ Keywords: Population decrease, Demographic change, Local government Policy response, Hwacheon-gun