earticle

영어

This study was conducted to find ways to preserve and utilize vacant houses in folk villages amid the deepening problem of vacant houses due to population decline and aging. The study target site is Wanggok Village, located in Goseong-gun, Gangwon-do, which has a high proportion of vacant houses among the eight folk villages designated as national folk cultural properties, and is a case where population aging and regional decline are seriously progressing. As a research method, 40 residents and 50 tourists were surveyed and interviewed, and the current status of vacant houses, the cause of occurrence, the management entity, and the perception of the possibility of utilization were comprehensively analyzed. As a result of the analysis, residents pointed out the avoidance of settlement by returnees to farming and rural areas, an aging population, and the death of owners as the causes of vacant houses, and preferred the creation of guest house facilities, securing public spaces, and supporting residents' settlement. Tourists cited aging and population decline as the main reasons for the occurrence of vacant houses, and preferred lodging businesses, cafes, restaurants, and experience spaces as methods of use. Both groups shared the perception that vacant houses should be used as income-generating and cultural experience spaces for local communities, not just management targets. In conclusion, this study emphasizes that the issue of vacant houses in folk villages should be approached as a strategic resource that can achieve both cultural heritage preservation and regional revitalization beyond simple demolition and management. In particular, the case of Wanggok Village will be able to provide basic data for sustainable management and policy establishment in similar areas in the future by presenting a specific model for the use of vacant houses in folk villages.