Signal 113 of Korea's 228 basic local governments are classified at risk of extinction

Summary

The local-administration overview reports that 113 of Korea's 228 basic local governments, or 49.6 percent, are classified as at risk of extinction. Within thirty years, 69 counties and 1,383 towns, townships and neighbourhoods are projected to disappear. The share of local governments with populations of 50,000 or fewer is projected to rise from 22.1 percent in 2015 to 32.7 percent in 2030, and 27 counties are expected to fall below 20,000 residents. The survey links these figures to a system built on population thresholds for administrative status, which fewer areas can now meet. It treats them as evidence that the sustainability of local administration is weakening quickly.