We have studied to devise plans to build a rural utopia and set up a pilot program to tackle challenges faced by rural and urban communities by using rural communities’ potentials and various new opportunities. This research report is a follow-up study to discover on-site cases showing the possibility for rural utopia and devise a project to establish and spread different, specific models nationwide to put the idea into action.
This research aims to present a plan to establish and spread a model for rural utopia for urban-rural coexistence by utilizing rural potentials in pursuit of all Koreans’ desires for happiness. Pursuing the goal, this research is composed of four parts. First of all, we identified the importance of a strategy for urban-rural coexistence in the homo-hundred era. Second, we studied the rural population and urban people related to rural life to see their preferences to rural communities, the state of rural-urban relationship building, and the urban people’s needs for future policies. Third, we examined project cases for rural utopia in the past to set up a specific model
for the future. Forth, we presented a success model for rural utopia. Based on this idea, we aimed to devise a project plan and an implementation strategy to create a rural utopia by putting together related regional cases and various models suggested by research institutes.
Chapter 2 looks into socioeconomic changes, such as low birth rate, aging population. It also handles practical challenges in the homo-hundred era. In addition, it deals with various support policies and programs to respond to the homo-hundred era. It is necessary for Koreans to share the view that they should prepare for the new era. There should be shifts in demographic and social approaches and the reflection of the changes in policies. Especially, it is necessary to promote rural-urban cooperation as a way to prepare for the homo-hundred era and expand support policies. Also, the government has to set up plans to vitalize rural communities to prepare for
the future by developing residence models to provide various jobs and life services for residence, welfare, health, and leisure.
Chapter 3 examines the state of the population related to rural utopia and its demands. It also analyzes factors forming the related population. Based on the result, we intended to clarify the demands and policy directions for rural utopia. Currently, 24.5% of the city population aged 20 or over are related to rural communities on a regular basis or through migration. Also, in our survey, 61.4% of the urban respondents said they had intentions to build relations with rural communities
regularly or through migration. They all showed strong tendencies to pursue emotional happiness, quiet and relaxed life, and leisure which they could not find in urban life. On the other hand, the regular visitors or migrants to rural communities found difficulties not only in residence and job conditions but also in conflicts with native residents and the feelings of alienation or disconnection. The demographic, social, and economic elements that influence building relations showed significant results. Such factors were: rural communities included age, gender, residential experience, having minor children, parents’ residence in rural villages, the family’s
intention for migration, housing ownership, income levels, preparation levels for retirement, attitudes toward rural communities, knowledge of related policies, and related media exposure. In particular, we discovered the need for policy considerations in terms of the variables that can be changed through policy input, such as preparation levels for retirement, attitudes toward rural communities, knowledge of related policies, and related media exposure.
Chapter 4 explores cases that can provide clues to build rural utopias through residents’ participation and solidarity or local governments’ leadership. It also identifies local demands and conditions to expand those cases through projects. In particular, we studied cases such as the student recruitment project (i-Topia) of Seoha Elementary School in South Kyeongsang Province, the build-a-village project to attract urban young people in North Kyeongsang Province, and the project to create better conditions for child-raising in Kangwon Province. We also explored local governments’ efforts to build relations with urban people. Looking into the features of local efforts for rural utopia, we found that local government-led projects mostly started with specific goals for education, culture, and youth attraction and expanded to various projects to satisfy elements to build a rural utopia. On the other hand, there were few projects to enhance ecological capital by preserving the regional environment and landscapes and using agricultural and fishery assets. Our analysis identified that through the stage of devising project models, the government should consider the big picture of a future society with new lifestyles, responsive measures for it, autonomous projects for regional characteristics, consolidated policy
platforms and connections to existing projects, and the utilization of existing resources and infrastructures. Above all, it is necessary to build platforms for project execution to attract people and enhance local capabilities so that action models can be widely applied.
Finally, Chapter 5 summarizes the significance of rural utopia and presents policy project ideas and ways to build implementation platforms. Rural utopia aims to raise overall life qualities for rural residents and urban people as well. In this context, the government should fulfill policy tasks: enhancing urban-rural exchange programs to expand urban people’s relationships with rural counterparts, supporting city people’s rural residence, creating rural job opportunities and new spaces for economic activities, renovating the rural residential environment and village infrastructures, enhancing services necessary for family members living in different areas, and
implementing community-building programs. Moreover, it is essential to prepare regulatory platforms to build rural residence chains participated by various stakeholders for family members living in different areas, introduce innovative projects, expand urban-rural exchanges for win-win effects. Also, this chapter discussed ways to build implementation systems and described the progress made until now.