A severe housing shortage on Ulleungdo Island is preventing new residents from settling in the Gyeongsangbuk-do region of South Korea.
This crisis threatens the long-term population stability of the island. Without accessible housing, potential settlers are abandoning their plans to move, which stifles local economic growth and community expansion.
The housing supply rate in Ulleung County is approximately 70% [1], which falls significantly below the national average of more than 100% [1]. To illustrate the gap, if Ulleungdo had 100 households, only 70 houses would exist [1].
Prospective residents face a combination of high land prices and steep construction costs. These financial burdens are compounded by the island's volatile weather, which frequently causes delays in building projects. For resident Lee Han-seong, the process of constructing a home took one year [1].
Lee said the barriers to entry are too high for those who simply wish to move to the island because they like the environment. "It is not a place where you can live just because you want to," Lee said. He said the difficulty of building a home makes the transition nearly impossible for many.
Local advocates are now calling for the government to provide priority support for rental housing. They said providing immediate, affordable shelter is the only way to lower the entry barrier for new settlers who cannot afford the cost, or time, required to build private homes from scratch.
“If Ulleungdo had 100 households, only 70 houses exist”
The situation on Ulleungdo highlights a critical failure in infrastructure that outweighs the natural appeal of the region. When housing supply falls to 70% of the national average, the island ceases to be a viable destination for migration, regardless of economic incentives. This suggests that regional revitalization efforts in South Korea's remote areas will fail unless the government shifts from general settlement subsidies to direct housing provision.
