South Korea redesignates 92 depopulating areas and 18 at-risk districts

The Ministry of the Interior and Safety has redesignated 92 depopulating areas and 18 areas of demographic concern, in a notice that takes effect on 20 October 2026. The decision was taken after deliberation by the Committee on Local Era (지방시대위원회) and published in 관보 제21342호 of 19 October 2026 as 행정안전부고시 제2026-61호. The notice also introduces a new “population vitality+” category for districts whose demographic conditions have improved.

The designation rests on Article 3, paragraphs 1 and 2 of the Enforcement Decree of the 「Special Act on Decentralization and Balanced Regional Development」, and is signed by the Minister of the Interior and Safety. It is published under the heading “Designation of Depopulating Areas and Areas of Demographic Concern” on page 84 of the gazette.

The new notice repeals 행정안전부고시 제2025-78호 of 1 January 2026 from the day it takes effect. Under its supplementary provisions, the ministry will repeat the exercise every five years, counted from 1 January 2027, and must review the notice’s validity every three years from the same reference date.

Ninety-two depopulating areas

The main list covers 92 cities, counties and districts across eleven provinces and metropolitan cities. Among the entries published in the annex:

• Gwangju–Jeonnam: 강진군, 고흥군, 곡성군, 구례군, 담양군, 보성군, 신안군, 영암군, 완도군, 영광군, 장성군, 장흥군, 진도군, 함평군, 해남군 and 화순군.
• Busan: 금정구, 서구 and 영도구.
• Daegu: 군위군 and 남구.
• Incheon: 강화군 and 옹진군.
• Gyeonggi: 가평군, 동두천시 and 연천군.
• Gangwon: 고성군, 삼척시, 양구군, 양양군, 영월군, 정선군, 철원군, 태백시, 평창군, 홍천군, 화천군 and 횡성군.
• North Chungcheong: 괴산군, 단양군, 보은군, 영동군, 옥천군 and 제천시.
• South Chungcheong: 공주시, 금산군, 논산시, 보령시, 부여군, 서천군, 예산군, 청양군 and 태안군.
• North Jeolla: 고창군, 김제시, 남원시, 무주군, 부안군, 순창군, 임실군, 장수군, 정읍시 and 진안군.
• North Gyeongsang: 고령군, 문경시, 봉화군, 상주시, 성주군, 안동시, 영덕군, 영양군, 영주시, 영천시, 울릉군, 울진군, 의성군, 청도군 and 청송군.
• South Gyeongsang: 거창군, 고성군, 남해군, 밀양시, 산청군, 의령군, 창녕군, 통영시, 하동군, 함안군, 함양군 and 합천군.

Eighteen areas of demographic concern

A second, shorter list names 18 areas of demographic concern — the tier below full depopulating status. The annex includes:

• Busan: 북구 and 중구.
• Incheon: 제물포구.
• Daejeon: 대덕구, 동구 and 중구.
• Gyeonggi: 포천시.
• Gangwon: 동해시.
• North Jeolla: 익산시.
• North Gyeongsang: 김천시, 예천군 and 칠곡군.
• South Gyeongsang: 사천시.
• Gwangju–Jeonnam: 동구.

A new “population vitality+” tier

The notice adds a third column, “population vitality+ areas” (인구활력+지역), for districts that no longer meet the criteria for the two main lists. Under the transitional clause, areas previously designated as depopulating or of demographic concern whose conditions have improved are classified in this new tier and are deemed to retain their existing designation.

The annex places, among others, Busan’s 동구, Daegu’s 서구, Gangwon’s 강릉시, 속초시 and 인제군, North Gyeongsang’s 경주시 and Gwangju–Jeonnam’s 동구 in this category.

What the designation changes

The lists are the operative reference for which municipalities fall under the special-act framework for balanced regional development, so the 110 areas named in the notice — 92 plus 18 — now operate under a settled legal status for the coming cycle. Because the previous notice is repealed on the same day the new one takes effect, no gap exists between the two regimes, and the five-year cycle anchored to 1 January 2027 gives affected councils a fixed horizon for planning. The three-year review clause also means the classification can be revisited before the next full redesignation.

Source: 관보 (Republic of Korea Official Gazette), No. 21342, 19 October 2026, 고시 (Notices), p. 84 (official reference: 행정안전부고시 제2026-61호).