Ongjin-gun, Incheon, ‘population decline for 18 consecutive months’… Will it rebound next year?

While the population of Ongjin-gun, Incheon, which consists of about 100 islands, has decreased for 18 consecutive months, attention is being paid to whether it can rebound next year.

Ongjin-gun expects that the population flow will be affected by the selection of the basic income pilot project for rural and fishing villages, the reorganization of the Incheon coastal ferry fare support project, and the designation of a leading educational innovation region.

According to Ongjin-gun on the 14th, the registered resident population of Ongjin-gun as of the end of last month was 19,248, a decrease of 10 from the previous month.

After recording 19,820 people in April of last year, it has decreased for 18 months since May of the same year.

The population of Ongjin-gun, which was 20,613 at the end of 2022, fell below the 20,000 mark at the end of 2024 (19,996), and decreased to 19,636 at the end of last year.

Ongjin-gun, which was re-designated as a population decline area last month following 2021, is making efforts to improve settlement conditions based on administrative and financial support, but is unable to stop the population decline.

Meanwhile, Ongjin-gun expects that if it is selected for the rural basic income pilot project, the results of which will be announced on the 19th, it will serve as an opportunity for a population rebound.

This project is a system that pays 150,000 won in local currency every month to rural residents who are experiencing aging and population decline.

Previously, Ongjin-gun applied last year to limit payment recipients to those under 49 years old due to budgetary burden, but was rejected. This year, all residents applied.

Ongjin-gun believes that the reform of Incheon City's 'i Bada Pass' policy, which allows Incheon citizens to use passenger ships for 1,500 won, the same as the fare for public transportation, will also have an impact on relocation.

Following the reorganization, the basic fare will be maintained at 1,500 won from next year, but Incheon citizens will have to pay additional fuel surcharges and terminal usage fees. In the case of the Incheon-Baengnyeong Island route, if the highest fuel surcharge currently in effect is maintained, it will exceed 10 times the existing fare.

Ongjin-gun residents will still receive the 1,500 won benefit regardless of the reorganization.

Ongjin-gun believes that as there is a difference in the actual ferry fares, the number of workers dispatched to the island may increase.

Improvement of educational conditions is also considered a factor that will affect population inflow.

Ongjin-gun, which was recently designated as the only educational innovation leading region in Incheon, will receive budget support of up to 2 billion won per year for up to five years.

Ongjin-gun and the Incheon Metropolitan Office of Education plan to implement 'Ongjin-type blended education' that links advance learning during the semester with field projects at universities and professional institutions during vacation.

Furthermore, Ongjin-gun is also holding a population policy idea contest until the 30th to respond to population decline and local disappearance.

There are four contest areas: 'People-centered life cycle settlement support', 'Establishment of a regional customized living service base', 'Establishment of an island stay/related population conversion system', and 'Establishment of a regional vitality collaboration implementation basis'.

An official from Ongjin-gun said, "Recently, the rate of population decline has decreased, and I believe there are many factors for a rebound next year. In addition, we have also applied for the Local Extinction Response Fund to support youth and promote policies for each life cycle."