30% of Local Governments Are Super-Aged, but Care Infrastructure Lags Behind

One in three of the nation's city, county, and district governments has been classified as an 'emergency response' area: the proportion of elderly residents exceeds the national average, but foundations such as senior care facilities are lacking. According to a report released on the 26th by the National Assembly Futures Institute, titled 'Diagnosis of Regional Gaps in the Elderly Population and Welfare Infrastructure Capacity,' 70 of the nation's 229 districts (30.6%) fall into this category.

The report found that in 22 districts, 'late-elderly concentration'—the share of those aged 75 and older among seniors aged 65 and over—exceeds 50%. Goheung County in South Jeolla Province ranked highest at 53.7%, followed by Boseong County in South Jeolla (53.6%), Imsil County in North Jeolla (52.8%), Gokseong County in South Jeolla (52.7%), and Gochang County in North Jeolla (52.6%), with all of the top 10 concentrated in the Jeolla region.

The researchers classified the nation's districts into four types based on late-elderly concentration, the old-age dependency ratio, and the capacity and available users of senior medical and welfare facilities: 'emergency response' areas with high demand and low supply; 'intensive management' areas with both high demand and supply capacity; 'proactive investment' areas with both low; and 'strong foundation' areas with low demand but high supply capacity.

Emergency response areas were concentrated in farming and fishing communities, including Boseong, Gangjin, Jangheung, and Jindo in South Jeolla; Bonghwa, Yeongdeok, and Uiseong in North Gyeongsang; Jeongseon, Yeongwol, and Pyeongchang in Gangwon; and Danyang in North Chungcheong. Among the capital region and metropolitan cities, Gangbuk and Jongno districts in Seoul, Dong, Seo, Suyeong, Yeongdo, and Jung districts in Busan, Gunwi, Nam, and Jung districts in Daegu, Dong District in Incheon, and Yeoncheon County in Gyeonggi were also included. Even within the same metropolitan city or province, disparities among districts were significant.

The report particularly noted of emergency response areas that "service gaps could persist through private supply alone, so public-sector involvement must be strengthened." It called for introducing roving or mobile services in areas with weak infrastructure.