Young Koreans flee provinces in search of opportunity, leaving regions hollowed out

An increasing number of young Koreans are leaving provincial cities in search of better jobs, education and lifestyle opportunities, accelerating the population decline outside the capital region. Illustration by Shin Dong-joon

After work one evening in Geoje, South Gyeongsang Province, Kim Hee-seop sat in his dormitory study room, flipping through an English speaking test prep book.

A chemical engineer by trade, Kim had moved 400 kilometers from Seoul to take a job in the shipbuilding city, eager to apply his degree.

By his second year, the job had become fulfilling. He liked the work, the team and the security. Then one colleague casually asked, "Are you really going to stay here forever?"

The question lingered. That same day, a close friend and fellow engineer announced he was leaving for a job at a state-run company. For Kim, it triggered unease. "Am I settling? Can I raise kids here? Is this where I grow?" he wondered.

Kim wasn’t alone. Despite steady pay and relative job security, he eventually left Geoje. So have thousands of others.

From 2015 to 2021, nearly 80 percent of the population growth in the capital region came from young people aged 15 to 34 migrating from outside the area, according to government data.

Meanwhile, Korea’s provincial cities are shrinking. Busan, the country’s second-largest city, was recently classified as being at risk of demographic extinction.

For years, policymakers have tried to reverse the trend. They moved public institutions, launched special industrial zones and offered various incentives. Still, young people keep leaving.

"A good job isn’t just about pay," said Lee Sang-ho, a senior researcher at the Korea Employment Information Service who first warned of regional extinction in 2016. "Young people want livable communities, transportation, culture and growth opportunities. Without those, they won’t stay."

A young job seeker explores booths at a job fair held in Seoul’s Gangnam District on June 5. Yonhap

Beyond jobs: culture, gender imbalance, and loneliness

In many regional areas, social life is sparse, dating prospects are thin, and gender imbalances are stark.

Hee-seop, now in his 30s, recalls seeing his few female colleagues get unwanted attention in male-dominated workspaces. In places like Pohang or Ulsan, the ratio of men to women in their 20s and 30s far exceeds the national average.

Developer Lee Soo-min, who once worked in Pohang, said dating was so difficult he traveled to Seoul for blind dates.

Eventually, he moved to the capital. "Everyone talked about the same thing: 'Can I even find a partner here?'" he said.

The imbalance is partially structural. In Seoul and surrounding areas, service jobs dominate and attract more women. In the provinces, manufacturing still prevails and employs mostly men.

In May, government data showed Seoul was one of the only regions where women in their 20s and 30s outnumber men.

Local residents wait for a bus at the quiet Wonpyeong Public Bus Terminal in Gimje, North Jeolla Province, on Feb. 14, 2023. Korea Times photo by Lee Han-ho

No room to grow

For many young professionals, the lack of career development is the breaking point. Jang Jae-yeon — a pseudonym — worked three years at a petrochemical firm in Yeosu, South Jeolla Province, and described the early pride she felt seeing her engineering ideas improve factory efficiency. But when the market slowed, so did her opportunities.

"I wanted to be somewhere growing," she said. "Now, I look around and regional industries feel stuck."

In smaller cities, peer learning is also hard to come by. Developer Lee recalled working in Pangyo, where nightly coding meetups were common. In Pohang, things were quiet. "I needed to grow. And to grow, I knew I had to leave," he said.

Even basic amenities are often missing. Kim recalls walking 40 minutes into town on weekends because there was no public transport.

Another young worker abandoned plans to settle in a new apartment complex near Jincheon, North Chungcheong Province, after realizing there were no OB/GYN clinics or even an eye doctor nearby. "If my wife gets pregnant, she’d have to go to Cheongju alone. That didn’t sit right with me," he said.

According to a 2023 study by the Korea Institute of Finance, people in Seoul travel just 432 meters on average to reach a bank. In Gyeongbuk, that distance stretches to over six kilometers. Travel time to medical care in the capital averages 15.4 minutes. Outside it? Over 30.

Even house-hunting is harder. Rental listings in small cities are limited or outdated. "In Seoul, you can browse listings or even find a place through apps like Danggeun Market (the country's largest online community market platform)," said one worker. "In smaller cities, you have to physically show up and hope for the best."

University students walk through a neighborhood in Busan’s Nam District on May 26. Despite nearby schools keeping foot traffic steady, many storefronts remain vacant with “For Rent” signs posted. Korea Times photo by Oh Ji-hye

Is Seoul the answer?

Eventually, both Kim and Lee made it to the Seoul metro area. But the move brought new challenges: long commutes, high rents and little time. Kim now spends three hours a day in transit. "Back in Cheongju, some of my coworkers owned homes. In Seoul, it feels like we’re all just scrambling," he said.

Still, they left for a reason: to build careers, meet partners and find personal growth. And for now, Seoul remains the only place that offers all of that in one package.

The stakes are high. With regional industries stagnating, birthrates declining and infrastructure underdeveloped, Korea’s future is tilting heavily toward one overcrowded region.

Experts warn that if the youth drain continues, the country could face zero economic growth by the 2040s.

“Without real investments in regional livability — not just job creation but urban infrastructure, gender balance and culture — the provinces will continue to empty,” said researcher Ha Soo-jung of the Korea Research Institute for Human Settlements. “And when young people leave, the region's future leaves with them.”

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.