| Title |
Identifying Regional Depopulation Types Through Validation of the Local Extinction Indicator System |
| Authors |
이은결(Lee, Eun-Gyeol) ; 유석연(Yoo, Suk-Yeon) |
| DOI |
https://doi.org/10.5659/JAIK.2026.42.7.149 |
| Keywords |
Local Extinction; Population-Declining Area; Population Decline Index; Indicator System; Regional Typification |
| Abstract |
This study develops a multidimensional diagnostic framework for local extinction risk to address the population-centered limitations of the
depopulation index used by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety (MOIS). An indicator pool covering demographic, social, economic, and
physical environmental dimensions was established through a review of previous studies and relevant institutional frameworks. Three
diagnostic models integrating policy relevance and statistical validity were then examined. The final indicator system identified three major
factors influencing local extinction: population and economic vulnerability, regional potential and economic vitality, and public safety and
service imbalance. Based on these indicators, extinction-risk areas were classified into four types: low welfare-service gap rural agricultural
and fishing villages, large cities experiencing complex decline, high-vitality, high-burden growth hubs, and low-vitality, low-service small
towns and peripheral areas. The findings reveal policy blind spots in the current index, particularly in older urban centers of large cities and
potential shrinking cities, where population size remains relatively stable despite severe industrial decline and infrastructure deterioration. |