2 - Spatial Characteristics of Urban Shrinkage in Korea

During the period spanning 2005 to 2015, South Korea witnessed a notable prevalence of shrinking cities, comprising a total of 229 cities and districts, marked by continuous demographic contraction, ailing infrastructure, and precarious fiscal conditions. This demographic phenomenon was characterized by a distinctive demographic profile, typified by lower birth rates juxtaposed with diminished fertility rates. Notably, an exploration of the factors underpinning the urban shrinkage, through a comprehensive factor analysis, illuminated the pivotal drivers as age-related and contraction-related factors, emergent growth-related elements, and factors related to childbirth.

Furthermore, a subsequent cluster analysis facilitated the classification of these shrinking cities into three primary clusters, commonly referred to as 'collapsed type,' 'stagnant type,' and 'growth type.' The 'collapsed type' primarily encompassed rural locales, distanced from major metropolitan areas, situated in inland or coastal regions, and characterized by diminutive populations, exceedingly low natural growth rates, reduced birth rates, a high proportion of elderly residents, an elevated age index, and a notable prevalence of single-family residences, vacant properties, and aged infrastructure when juxtaposed with other cluster typologies.