2024 Comprehensive Survey on People Returning to Fishing Villages

 

7 out of 10 fishing village returnees reporting “harmonious” relations with residents, indicating favorable settlement conditions for returnees

 

The average monthly household income in the first year of returning was KRW 3.47 million, about 76% of the average monthly income of fishing households

 

 The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries (MOF; Minister Kang Do-hyung) announced on Wednesday, March 19 the results of the 2024 Survey on People Returning to Fishing Villages conducted among 1,500 out of 4,915 individuals who returned to fishing villages between 2019 and 2023.

 

 MOF has been annually conducting the Survey on People Returning to Fishing Village since 2021 and publishing information such as reasons for returning, types of business, and satisfaction with returning to fishing for reference by prospective returnees. The survey underwent a redesign of its questions and sample framework last year, transitioning to a five-year follow-up survey and obtaining approval as official national statistics.

 

 This survey is the first one conducted following its approval as national statistics. The following are the findings of the 236 first-year returnees in 2023:

 

 Reasons for returning included lack of job opportunities in the urban area (33.9%), residing near acquaintances (25.0%), alignment with personal aptitude and interests (19.7%), and high expected income (6.5%). Types of work included fishing (91%), followed by aquaculture (8.7%) as well as a combination of fishing and aquaculture (0.4%).

 

 The preparation period included 1 year to 1.5 years (32.3%), followed by 6 months to 1 year (20.7%) and less than 6 months (17.1%).

 

 The average monthly household income was recorded at KRW 3.47 million, which is approximately 76% of the fishing households’ average monthly income of KRW 4.56 million in the same year.

 

 Additionally, 7 out of 10 returnees reported good relationships with existing residents (9.9% "very good" + 58.4% "somewhat good"), and satisfaction levels were high regarding family relationships (68.6%) and relationships with residents (55.7%) but lower for infrastructure (26.6%) and fishing income (33.2%).

 

 “With the Survey on People Returning to Fishing Villages, we intend to provide prospective returnees with information about life after returning to fishing villages. We plan to use this data as reference for policies that offer practical support, such as assistance with starting a business, purchasing a home, and creating essential infrastructure,” Minister Kang Do-hyung said.

 

 The Returnee to Fishing Villages Center at the Korea Fisheries Infrastructure Public Agency (FIPA), which is responsible for the survey, will publish quarterly analysis reports containing in-depth insights alongside publicly available statistical data.

 

 Detailed results of this survey can be found on the National Statistical Portal (kosis.kr) and Oceans and Fisheries Statistics Portal (www.mof.go.kr/statPortal).