Interest in returning to farming and rural living is growing, but some people hesitate to settle permanently due to the limitations of the current resident registration system. The photo shows a farming machine handling rice straw. (Image provided by Yonhap)
SEOUL, May 14 (Korea Bizwire) — A state-funded research institute has recommended the introduction of a “lifestyle registration system” as a necessary first step toward implementing the dual address system promised by Lee Jae-myung, the presidential candidate of the Democratic Party of Korea.
In a report released Tuesday, the Korea Research Institute for Human Settlements (KRIHS) argued that enabling individuals to register their de facto place of residence—distinct from their official resident registration address—would better align public services with actual population movements and living patterns, especially in depopulated regions.
The study found that in 89 population-declining areas across the country, roughly 33% of people who reside there are not officially registered as residents. In counties like Yanggu, Hwacheon, Jangseong, Yangyang, and Cheorwon, non-registered residents made up about one in ten of the actual population.
This mismatch between real living situations and registered addresses poses challenges for local governments, which allocate public services based on resident registration data. For example, returnees to rural areas often forgo transferring their resident registration, rendering them ineligible for services such as farm equipment rentals, agricultural startup funds, or housing subsidies.
Similarly, wage earners who spend most weekdays in their work cities—and pay local income taxes there—may still be denied access to public services if their official address is elsewhere. Even university students who live in a city for four to six years are often excluded from housing or entrepreneurship support due to lack of registration.
A national survey conducted by KRIHS in late 2024 found that 80.2% of respondents supported offering equal access to public services in areas where people live and work, regardless of their official resident registration.
As the workforce in rural areas dwindles, there’s a burgeoning rise in programs aimed at connecting individuals with the authentic essence of rural life. Featured here is a snapshot of one such initiative, a rural experience program. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
However, concerns were raised over fairness, the risk of double-dipping benefits, abuse of address changes for school zoning or housing allocation, and added fiscal burdens on local governments.
To address these complexities, KRIHS proposed a phased rollout of a lifestyle registration system, allowing individuals to register their everyday activity zones in addition to their primary legal address. This system, it argued, could bridge service gaps while laying the groundwork for future implementation of a formal dual address system.
“A gradual, experimental approach—beginning with pilot programs in select municipalities—would help accumulate operational know-how and mitigate policy risks,” the research team noted. “In the long term, the outcomes of lifestyle registration should inform the national debate on adopting a multiple address framework.”
M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
