Government, Local Governments, and Experts Gather to Discuss 'Institutionalization of Urban-Rural Symbiotic Cooperation' to Address Local Depopulation

[Suwon Ilbo = Reporter Jung Jun-sung] Government officials, local government representatives, academics, and research institution experts gathered in one place to seek solutions for addressing local depopulation.

Suwon Special Metropolitan City held a 'Policy Discussion Forum on Urban-Rural Symbiotic Cooperation to Address Local Depopulation' at the Ulsan Exhibition and Convention Center on the 19th, seeking ways to institutionalize urban-rural symbiotic cooperation.

The forum, conducted as an official conference program of the '2025 Korean Local Era Expo,' was jointly hosted by Suwon Special Metropolitan City, the Korean Mayors and Governors Association, the Association of Mayors and Governors of Population Declining Regions, and Bonghwa County, with joint operation by the Korean Association for Local Administration, Korea Research Institute for Human Settlements, Korea Culture and Tourism Institute, Council of Major Metropolitan Research Institutes, and Suwon City Government Research Institute.

"Central Government, Local Government, Cities, and Rural Areas Must Together Address Local Depopulation"

In his opening address, Suwon Mayor Lee Jae-jun stated, "Local depopulation is not merely a rural problem but a national issue of South Korea that threatens the sustainability of cities as well," emphasizing, "Now central government and local governments, cities and rural areas must work together as one community to address local depopulation."

The mayor said, "The 'Cheongryang Mountain Suwon Camping Ground' project jointly pursued by Suwon and Bonghwa County is the first practical urban-rural symbiotic model connected by trust between cities and rural areas," adding, "I hope the symbiotic cooperation between Suwon and Bonghwa County becomes an institutional cooperation model and spreads nationwide."

He further stated, "I hope this forum becomes the catalyst for institutionalizing symbiotic cooperation between cities and rural areas and leading to practical implementation in each region," and added, "Suwon will take the lead in opening a new path of solidarity where cities help local communities and local communities revitalize cities."

At the forum, Suwon Mayor Lee Jae-jun, Jo Dong-doo, Secretary-General of the Korean Mayors and Governors Association, and Park Si-hong, Vice County Governor of Bonghwa County, adopted a 'Policy Proposal to the Government for Addressing Local Depopulation through Institutionalization of Urban-Rural Symbiotic Cooperation.'

In a video congratulatory message, Park Chun-hoon, Chairman of the House Committee on Administration and Safety, diagnosed that "local depopulation is not an issue for specific regions but a structural crisis threatening national sustainability." He also evaluated the Cheongryang Mountain Suwon Camping Ground cooperation model between Suwon and Bonghwa County as "an exemplary case of balanced development in which cities and rural areas complement each other's shortcomings."

Chairman Park stated, "A new symbiotic structure is needed where cities share responsibilities and rural areas gain opportunities," and pledged, "The National Assembly will support the institutionalization of urban-rural symbiotic cooperation through legislative and budgetary support."

Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Song Mi-ryeong also delivered a video congratulatory message, stating, "Local depopulation is no longer a future risk but a matter of national survival that must be addressed immediately," and "Cities and rural areas must cooperate as a community of shared destiny."

Minister Song said, "The Cheongryang Mountain Suwon Camping Ground symbiotic model is a representative example showing what kind of change cooperation can bring," adding, "We will establish institutional frameworks to ensure urban-rural cooperation like the Suwon-Bonghwa model spreads nationwide and strengthen policy support."

'Living Infrastructure-Based Urban-Rural Symbiotic Model,' Most Realistic Strategy for Addressing Local Depopulation

The keynote presentations were conducted in three sessions. Lee Cha-hee, Associate Research Fellow at Korea Research Institute for Human Settlements, who presented on 'Current Status, Issues, and Outlook of Local Depopulation,' pointed out, "In a situation where population disparities among regions are intensifying, there are clear limitations to existing support-focused policies," emphasizing, "Like the Suwon-Bonghwa cooperation case, an urban-rural symbiotic system is needed based on governance led by local governments with participation from private sector and citizens, and functional linkages between cities and rural areas."

Kim Do-young, Suwon City Policy Director, who presented on 'Living Infrastructure-Based Urban-Rural Symbiotic Cooperation: Cases of Suwon and Bonghwa,' introduced the Cheongryang Mountain Suwon Camping Ground as a case example, explaining, "The 'living infrastructure-based urban-rural symbiotic model' that combines clear leisure demand from urban residents with unused natural resources in rural areas is the most realistic strategy for addressing local depopulation."

Director Kim stated, "The Cheongryang Mountain Suwon Camping Ground is recording high utilization rates of 90% on weekends and 75% on weekdays," evaluating this as "an achievement that demonstrates sustainable urban-rural circular economy is possible when cities and rural areas are functionally matched."

Oh Hyung-eun, Representative of the Regional Revitalization Center, who presented on 'Measures for Institutionalizing Urban-Rural Symbiotic Cooperation to Address Local Depopulation,' proposed 'establishing governance connecting cities and rural areas and strengthening functional linkages' as the key solution to local depopulation.

Representative Oh stated, "The existing support-focused approach lacks sustainability," proposing alternatives including △governance led by local governments with private sector and citizen participation △living area-based urban-rural linkage △creation of symbiotic hubs △institutionalization of regional connector systems. He also emphasized, "To ensure sustainability of urban-rural cooperation, legal and financial foundations are necessary, such as the enactment of an urban-rural symbiotic law (tentative name) and the establishment of an 'urban-rural symbiotic account' within the local depopulation response fund."

Institutionalization of Urban-Rural Cooperation Model Requires Clarification of Roles Between Central and Local Governments

The panel discussion, chaired by Lee Hyang-soo, incoming president of the Korean Association for Local Administration, included Park Jung-geun, Director of the Balanced Development System Division at the Ministry of Interior and Safety, Cho Pan-gi, Managing Director of Korea Research Institute for Human Settlements, Lee Yun-kyung, Director of Content Division at Korea Culture and Tourism Institute, Lee Sang-bum, Director of Policy Research at the Korean Mayors and Governors Association, and Oh Myung-geun, Director of Research at Cheongju City Government Research Institute.

The panelists agreed, stating, "Local depopulation is no longer an issue for individual regions but a core agenda of national survival strategy," and "there is a need for institutionalization of cooperation models and clarification of roles between central and local governments."

Regarding methods to expand urban-rural symbiotic cooperation, opinions included △operating sustainable cooperation programs △establishing urban-rural symbiotic councils △strategies to expand related and residential populations △improving rural settlement conditions.

Mayor Lee Jae-jun stated, "It was a meaningful forum that explored what cities and rural areas can do together to address local depopulation," adding, "Starting with joint research with research institutions that co-hosted this forum, we will strive to materialize the urban-rural symbiotic cooperation system, including holding a National Assembly discussion forum to seek legislative agenda for urban-rural symbiotic cooperation."