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This study analyzes the migration patterns of the youth population in declining population areas and the factors of migration to outside the metropolitan regions. The results show that quality jobs are an important factor for youth migration in declining population areas. They moved to places with a high diversity of jobs in the professional, scientific, and technical fields that young people prefer. In addition, the number of cafes for daily needs of young people had a positive effect on youth migration. Moreover, youth policies and networks such as youth-friendly small and medium-sized enterprises and youth support centers in outside the metropolitan regions were important factors in youth migration. A youth-friendly corporate culture that provides job security, work-life balance, and a favorable working environment for young people has a positive impact on youth migration. This is also true for small and medium-sized cities in outside the metropolitan regions, with youth migrating to areas with more youth-friendly mid-sized and small businesses. Considering the youth population migration patterns and regional characteristics of outside the metropolitan regions, this study suggests regional policy implications for cooperation and linkages among regions.

UAM vertiport may have a problem constructing on an unnecessary area if the location selection criteria are not prepared at an early stage. Therefore, it is necessary to conduct a basic study on the factors affecting the proper location selection of vertiport in preparation for the commercialization of urban air traffic system. This study derived the main variables affecting UAM demand. This study presents the evaluation index when constructing the UAM transfer system in the future, and it is important to quantitatively calculate the weights of each influential factor. The first variable was summarized by examining previous studies related to the location and transfer of UAM vertiport. FGI was conducted for experts in each related field, and the final factors were selected and stratified. To calculate the importance of the factors, a survey was conducted for 15 experts and weights were calculated by AHP. As a result of the analysis, it is necessary to first review the installation of UAM vertiport in urban infrastructure for better railway route linkage. Also, areas that can activate urban space should be considered in priority for the installation of vertiports rather than traffic congestion areas. In terms of social acceptability, it is necessary to review the areas where noise and user safety can be considered at the same time.

The aim of the study is to examine the determinants of housing gap speculation from 2017 to 2020. Housing price have steeply increased last 5 years in Korea. The median apartment sale prices in the Seoul Metropolitan Areas (SMAs) increased by about 60.5% from about 370 million won in 2017 to about 590 million won in 2021. Housing policy makers believe that young people who cannot afford to buy a house with their own income and assets entered the housing market through gap speculation, and thereby housing prices skyrocketed with increasing housing effective demand. Therefore, various demand-side strategies have been applied to curb speculative demand. Extensive financial borrowing restrictions and increase in tax, nevertheless, have not stopped the rise in housing prices. This study focuses on what gap speculation is and what characteristics gap speculators have. Theoretically, it can be conceptualized as buying a house on a cheonsei contract ― a kind of rental agreement, but a unique Korean way to rent a house with only a long-term and large deposit ― for the purpose of capital gains without a plan to live there. From the empirical study, we can find several things as follows. Contrary to the stereotype about young speculators, gap speculator tends to increase with age. They can be estimated as a group that are low-income groups compared to renters or homeowners but increase savings by reducing current consumption for future consumption. Their net assets are relatively high, but they reduce housing costs by living in small, old, and poor places. It implies that actual gap speculators can be not general speculators, but can be those who really need affordable places to live in someday.

As part of a strategic response to address the problems caused by population aging and urbanization, the World Health Organization recommends the creation of Age-Friendly Cities. This study examined the relationship between satisfaction with age-friendly urban environment elements for Aging in Place based on the 2023 Seoul Survey Urban Policy Indicators. Age groups were divided into young, middle-aged, and elderly groups, and generalized ordinal logistic regression analysis was used to analyze differences between groups. The results showed that environment, safety, and transportation were common factors affecting the intention to continue to reside in all groups among age-friendly urban environment factors. This is an empirical analysis result that shows that improving the physical environment has a positive effect on the intention to continue to reside in all age groups, suggesting the need for comprehensive urban planning to create an urban environment where all generations can continue to reside.

In this study, we examined factors determining residential environment satisfaction among older adults living alone. We classified older adults into three age-based groups to pinpoint which neighborhood characteristics influenced their satisfaction levels. For the early-age group (65-74 years), access to healthcare facilities significantly enhanced satisfaction with their residential environment. For those in the mid-age (75-84 years) and late-age (85 years and older) groups, the availability of public transportation had a positive effect on satisfaction. For the late-age group, security and crime prevention improved satisfaction levels significantly. Based on these findings, we offer policy recommendations to facilitate aging in place for older adults living alone.

This study examined the spatial characteristics of Starbox stores through exploratory factor analysis that discovers detailed spatial components based on the spatial experience experienced by visitors to Starbucks general stores. As a result of the analysis, a total of five factors were grouped and derived, and each factor was named as ‘culture/artistry’, ‘five senses/hospitality’, ‘behavior/psychology’, ‘taste/hardware’, and ‘lead/pandemic’. Through exploratory factor analysis based on the visitor's experience, the significance of this study was able to identify the cause of continuous visits to Starbucks stores and infer detailed components related to Starbucks' third place, which shows a commercialized space but differentiated place. This is a strategic projection of Starbucks' corporate philosophy and ideology into space and place, and it is judged that this positioning is perceived and experienced by the visitor group through five senses.It is judged that these attributes will be a very important space and place strategy for commercial real estate, especially retail real estate, which requires continuous visits. As a future research topic, the factors derived through exploratory factor analysis are independent variables, and it is necessary to measure dependent variables for visitor satisfaction and revisit intention, and to analyze visitors by group to examine the differences.nalyze visitors by group to examine the differences.

Cultural districts are designated according to the unique cultural characteristics of the region and cultural resources worth preserving. Each cultural district must be managed and operated so that it can develop on its own, but a comprehensive management and operation method is established in each local government. Therefore, while respecting the unique characteristics of the district, it is necessary to continuously develop and nurture the cultural district through active participation and support. Each cultural district has a different management system, problems, and improvement plans according to its characteristics, and in managing a cultural district, it is necessary to establish a management system suitable for the characteristics of each cultural district, and to continuously manage and improve it.

With the increasing diversification and complexity of urban regeneration projects in Korea, the role of intermediary support organizations has become increasingly emphasized. Among them, Urban Regeneration Centers (URCs) serve as pivotal institutions that connect local governments, residents, and experts, thereby playing a central role in determining the effectiveness of urban regeneration policies. However, many URCs are constrained by short-term operational structures, unstable staffing systems, and a lack of continuity in project implementation, which collectively hinder their organizational sustainability. This study aims to explore a sustainable operational model from a mid- to long-term perspective by conducting an empirical analysis of the Cheonan Urban Regeneration Center. Utilizing qualitative methodologies including in-depth interviews, a Delphi survey, and comparative case analysis, the study comprehensively examines key factors such as organizational structure, human resource management, financial stability, and potential for functional expansion. The findings indicate that functional specialization, establishment of a stable staffing system, integrated organizational restructuring, and legal-institutional reinforcement through transformation into a public foundation are essential conditions for sustainable operation. Based on these results, the study provides policy implications to support the institutionalization and strategic advancement of Urban Regeneration Centers nationwide.

Population decline and population aging have made shrinking cities a critical issue. Urban shrinkage occurs within individual cities and through interactions with metropolitan areas; therefore, a metropolitan perspective is required, although research at this scale remains limited. This study examines changes in urban centrality and their determinants in the Busan–Ulsan metropolitan area between 2010 and 2019. The unit of analysis is si-gun-gu, and commuting flow data were used to calculate in-degree and out-degree centralities through social network analysis. Changes in centrality were then analyzed, and multiple regression was conducted with centrality change as the dependent variable. Results show that some shrinking cities maintained centrality despite population decline, while some non-shrinking cities experienced decline. For in-degree centrality, significant factors included manufacturing workers (–), service workers (+), fiscal self-reliance (–), residential development (–), central region (+), and administrative area size (+). For out-degree centrality, elderly population (–), total floor area of buildings (+), fiscal self-reliance (+), and central region (–) were significant.

Small and medium-sized cities facing the threat of rural decline are attempting to attract residents to revitalize their local economies. However, there has been a lack of objective evidence regarding whether an increase in the resident population actually positively impacts the local economy. In this study, we analyzed the actual impact of both de facto and transient populations on the local economy, utilizing statistical analysis methods and telecommunication big data. Our main findings are as follows: First, both the de facto population and the transient population positively impact the revitalization of the local economy. Second, the economic status of local governments is the main factor affecting total sales. Third, the presence of cultural facilities that can attract visitors has a positive impact on the revitalization of the local economy. Fourth, the proximity to a large city has a positive effect on the revitalization of the local economy. This study's significance lies in its objective proof that de facto population can have a positive effect on all local governments experiencing population decline.