EFFORTS TO REVIVE LOCAL ECONOMY

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With its population dwindling, Gangwon-do Province is seeing more and more houses left abandoned and empty. The phenomenon is particularly serious in areas of closed-down mines. But there are efforts to breathe new life into the withering communities and revive the local economy.

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In an alley in Taebaek, Gangwon-do Province, a white building stands out among run-down houses. It was an abandoned house four years ago. But it is now being used as a studio for young artists. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, around 3,000 people visited here annually.

[Soundbite] KIM SHIN-AE(CHIEF, TAEBAEK MOVENODE) : "We carried out a project to create content about the village based on interviews with local residents. For example, we photographed an apartment in Taebaek, which was demolished last year. We told stories about it from our own perspectives."

In an old coal-mining town, alleys left with empty homes have been reborn as a tourist destination. In former mine areas in Gangdown-do Province, 21 new businesses have launched by making use of abandoned houses over the past four years since 2017. It is a result of the Gangwon provincial government’s project to support business start-ups and resolve the issue of abandoned houses simultaneously. Local merchants are satisfied with the transformation.

[Soundbite] KIM MYUNG-HWAN(LOCAL MERCHANT) : "The village has changed. Visitors stop by to see my house. They even have meals here."

As the successful examples have gained publicity, the project has attracted an increasing number of applicants.

[Soundbite] KIM JI-YOUNG(GANGWON-DO PROVINCIAL GOV’T) : "As the number of applicants has grown, we have tightened qualifications for space renovation this year. For example, buildings that are older than 20 years are eligible."

As of late 2019, some 84,000 houses remained abandoned and empty in Gangwon-do Province. The provincial business support project is drawing attention as a solution to reduce abandoned homes and promote the development of declining regions.