"I Want to Return to Seoul"... 1 in 3 Young People Who Moved to the Provinces Make a U-Turn

42.7% of Youth Settle in the Metropolitan Area... Only 21.3% in Non-Metropolitan Regions
Widening Gaps in Jobs and Living Conditions Deepen Youth Concentration in Cities

Among young people who moved from the Seoul metropolitan area to non-metropolitan regions, 1 out of 3 returned to the metropolitan area in less than two years. This highlights the need for policies that do more than simply promote population inflow; there is a call for measures that improve jobs, housing, and cultural environments to encourage young people to settle down.

Passengers heading home boarding the KTX train at Seoul Station. Photo by The Asia Business Daily Database

According to the report "Youth Migration and Settlement: Focusing on the Regional Youth Friendliness Index" released by the Korea Institute for Industrial Economics & Trade on March 18, the proportion of young people who moved from non-metropolitan regions to the metropolitan area and then settled was the highest at 42.7%. In contrast, only 21.3% of those who moved from the metropolitan area to non-metropolitan regions ended up settling there.

Notably, among young people who relocated from the metropolitan area to non-metropolitan regions, 11.4% returned to the metropolitan area, with an average stay of only 1.6 years. When calculated as a proportion of all young people who moved from the metropolitan area to non-metropolitan regions, this means that 34.9% ultimately made a "U-turn" back to the metropolitan area.

The institute identified economic opportunities such as jobs and income as the biggest reasons why young people move to the metropolitan area. In fact, 1 in 5 young people who moved to the metropolitan area saw improvements in their economic situation, such as an increase in real income. Differences in living environment were also found to reinforce the concentration of young people in the metropolitan area.

The "Youth-Friendly Index" evaluated by the Korea Institute for Industrial Economics and Trade across 229 cities, counties, and districts nationwide. Photo by Korea Institute for Industrial Economics and Trade

The report evaluated the "Youth Friendliness Index" of 229 cities, counties, and districts nationwide, based on four categories: ▲Work (employment) ▲Life (housing and welfare) ▲Fun (access to cultural and leisure activities) ▲Engagement (social networks).

The analysis showed that nearly all of the top 10% of regions with the highest Youth Friendliness Index—where settlement conditions for young people are best—were concentrated in the metropolitan area, with only four regions in non-metropolitan areas. The metropolitan area was especially dominant in the categories of work and fun.

The report emphasized the need for integrated policy design tailored to regional characteristics, rather than simply increasing population inflow.

For regions with industrial infrastructure but lacking residential environments, the report called for improvements in housing and transportation infrastructure. In areas with insufficient jobs, it recommended developing new job strategies by utilizing cultural resources.

Jisoo Kim, a research fellow at the Korea Institute for Industrial Economics & Trade, explained, "Young people living in non-metropolitan regions often want to experience life in the metropolitan area at least once, because they feel that the range of experiences and jobs available in non-metropolitan areas is limited."

He added, "When integrated policies that reflect both regional conditions and the needs of young people are established, the migration experiences of youth can become assets for regional innovation. The key is not simply to prevent young people from leaving, but to create environments in which they can truly settle down."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.