KIHASA’s 41st Population Forum Focuses on Public Perceptions of Regional Demographic Shifts and Policies Going Forward

• ■The forum was held on Thursday, December 11, starting at 10 a.m., at the El Garden Hall of the El Tower in Yangjae, Seoul.

• ■It featured four thematic presentations and expert discussions on topics related to regional demographic shifts, including: Public Perceptions, the Multi-Address Registration System, Living Conditions, and Neighborhood Relations.

• ■KIHASA President Shin Youngseok: “We are facing significant challenges posed by rapidly changing demographics and widening regional disparities. I hope this forum will provide a comprehensive examination of regional demographic shifts and the multidimensional factors driving them.”

On Thursday, December 11, KIHASA convened its 41st Population Forum at the EL Garden Hall of the EL Tower in Yangjae, Seoul, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The forum focused on the public perceptions of regional demographic shifts and future policy directions.

Since 2014, KIHASA has held the annual Population Forum to raise public awareness of key population issues and explore viable policy solutions. This year, the forum analyzed a comprehensive set of issues related to regional demographic changes―including public perceptions, the multi-address registration system, living conditions, and neighborhood relations―to identify and propose future policy pathways.

The morning session, chaired by Senior Research Fellow Lee Hyun-Joo, featured two presentations and a panel discussion. The presentations were “Public Perceptions of Regional Demographic Shifts and Local Population Policy” by Associate Research Fellow Lee Ji-hye, and “Perceptions of Local Government Policy and the Multi-Address Registration System amid Regional Population Change” by Research Fellow Ko Jayee. Panelists for the morning wrap-up discussion were Yum Ji-sun, Director at the Korea Institute of Public Administration, and Lim Sang-soo, Professor at Chosun University.

The afternoon session, chaired by Lee So-Young, Director of KIHASA’s Population Policy Research Department, also consisted of two presentations and a wrap-up discussion. Research Fellow Kang Ji-won presented on “Regional Population and Living Conditions,” followed by Senior Researcher Hwang Anna’s presentation on “Neighborhood Relations in an Era of Regional Population Change.” The panel included Lee Sang-rim, Senior Research Fellow at Seoul National University’s Center for Population Policy Research, and Yoo Jae-eon, Professor at Gachon University.

In his opening remarks, KIHASA President Shin Youngseok noted that population decline and shifting migration patterns at the regional level are major issues with far-reaching economic, social, and cultural implications, posing significant challenges to the sustainability of local communities. He concluded by expressing his hope that the forum would offer a comprehensive examination of the various dimensions of regional demographic change, including local perceptions, social conditions, living environments, and the interaction and connectedness among local communities.”