South Korea’s population migration rate fell to the lowest level in 43 years, weighed down by tougher property regulations and demographic woes in a society plagued by low birth rate and fast aging.
More rushed out Seoul notorious for expensive living cost and rent prices, pushing the head count in the capital to below 10 million.
According to the data released by Statistics Korea on Wednesday, a total of 7.38 million people changed their legal residence last year, marking the lowest since 1979. The population migration rate per 100 people dropped to 14.4 percent last year from 15.2 percent in 2015, also the lowest since 1973.
The statistical office attributed the subdued population movement to a drop in the number of Koreans in their 20s and 30s that are most active in moving and completion of relocation in government agencies to Korea`s new administrative city of Sejong.
Among municipal districts, Sejong (28.8 percent), Jeju (17.0 percent) and Gyeonggi Province (15.7 percent) showed the highest move-in ratio, while Seoul (16.9 percent), Sejong (15.6 percent) and Daejeon (15.3 percent) recorded the highest move-out ratio.
Eight districts including Gyeonggi Province experienced a net influx in population last year. Gyeonggi had 134,000 more people move in than out, followed by Sejong with 30,000 and Chungnam and Jeju with 15,000. Nine other districts including Seoul (-140,000), Busan (-21,000) and Daejeon (-11,000) saw a net outflow in population.
By Kim Se-woong
[ⓒ Pulse by Maeil Business News Korea & mk.co.kr, All rights reserved]