Possibility of Local Revitalization by Young Entrepreneurs: A Case of the ‘Rural Dispatch System of Urban Youth’ in Gyeongsangbuk-do (province)

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine local revitalization of the diverse economies resulted from ‘rural dispatch system of urban youth’ which utilizes redistributed government subsidies in opening businesses. The study area in Gyeongsangbuk-do (province). The population in Gyeongsangbuk-do has decreased by 14,000 in average per year between 1970 and 2018. Due to decreasing and aging population in rural and mountain settlements, the central and local governments provide subsidies to young people to move in and open businesses to help revitalize those regions, utilizing local resources. These businesses based on entrepreneurship are trying to developed communities and employ sales strategies on the Internet, utilizing cultural contents developed by young entrepreneurs, operating exchange/learning programs, utilizing regional resources, and expanding sales horizon of regional products. While in terms of integrated forms of market/non-market societies, businesses that are created by youth based on social security system through redistribution have strong livelihood-building system, reciprocity (livelihood-supporting system) and household (self-subsisting system) also partially play their roles in controlling excessive market exchange in post-consumption society. Businesses created by youth should maintain sustainability through participation and support based on regional resources and values. Each young resident should secure scalability through forward and backward integration as a local business operator. Furthermore, the young residents should play a role in improving the livelihood of local residents with the goal of regional independence by developing communities in village and town scale while horizontally expanding local communities to generate profits as a whole through cooperation with local residents.