Constitutional issues of population and regional extinction : Constitution political Challenges and Response

In Article 122 of the Constitution, “The State may impose necessary restrictions and obligations as prescribed by law for the efficient and balanced use, development, and preservation of the national land, which is the basis of production and life for all citizens.” In addition, Article 123 (2) stipulates that “the State is obligated to foster the regional economy for balanced development between regions.” The Constitution imposes a task to solve the problems of population extinction and regional extinction by fulfilling these national obligations. However, the problem of population extinction and regional extinction is not just a population decline, but a complex problem that arises from various aspects such as local economy, social foundation, and community identity. Comprehensive response strategies such as mid- to long-term economic structure transformation, smart city construction, and strengthening regional governance are essential along with promoting short-term population inflow. Securing regional self-sustainability through an innovative and practical approach and ultimately mitigating the risk of extinction of populations and regions is emerging as an important task. In addition, there are only two provisions of the Constitution related to local autonomy, so it is necessary to supplement the Constitution to enable strong decentralization. Realizing true local autonomy must be realized by reforming the centralized structure and specifying the concept of local government in the Constitution. Recently, there is a growing voice that local governments should no longer be 'the end of the order' but should be 'a partner in state administration'. Before the discussion on constitutional amendment begins in earnest, it is necessary to prepare in advance for the expansion of special cases in large cities and securing the constitutional status of local governments. In order to prevent local extinction and sustainable city operation, it is essential to reorganize the structure that guarantees both authority and responsibility. It is a meaningful shift that local governments have begun to respond to discussions on constitutional amendment in earnest, and linkage with related laws such as the Local Autonomy Act and the Local Finance Act is also essential in the future.