Breathing new life into vacant rural houses helps against rural extinction

[Anchor]

It has been reported that there are over 66,000 vacant houses in rural areas across the country.

In a village in Buyeo, Chungcheongnam-do Province, efforts are underway to revive abandoned buildings into bookstores or restaurants to help revitalize a village facing extinction.

Reporter Lee Soo-yeon has the story.

[Report]

An old brewery warehouse.

Upon entering through the door, there is a fusion restaurant.

The interior retains its old appearance but its abandoned drawers and door panels have been given a new life.

With the establishment of a fusion restaurant in this rural village, it has become a tourist attraction drawing visitors from afar.

[Han Geum-sook/Sejong City : "Since it's a rural area, there are hardly any Western-style restaurants. It's mostly Korean cuisine, but I visit when I want to try something a bit different."]

This charming traditional house, which was almost lost due to the construction of apartments, has remained as a space for various lectures.

This started from a new challenge for Park Kyung-ah, who repeatedly faced rental disputes while running craft shops in Insadong, Seoul, and Heyri, Paju.

[Park Kyung-ah/CEO of Segan : "When I first came down here and saw people easily demolishing 100-year-old houses, I was really shocked. I believe that these empty houses are very important resources and assets that we need to protect..."]

The tobacco shop and the attached living quarters have been transformed into a bookstore and café, and with the opening of restaurants and accommodations, a cultural street is being created.

As cafes and workshops settle in, the youth population in the village is increasing.

With the population growth, the Buyeo Library is also set to relocate soon, becoming a valuable case amid the phenomenon of rural extinction.

[Han Yi-cheol/Director of the Quality of Life Policy Research Center, Korea Rural Economic Institute : "The aging rate in our country in six years will be the same as the current aging rate in rural areas. Addressing the issues in rural areas now is not only about saving the current rural areas but could also be preparing for where our country may be in ten years."]

Efforts to revive the beauty of the old are breathing new life into villages that were on the brink of extinction.

This is KBS News, Lee Soo-yeon reporting.