SEOUL, June 24 (Xinhua) -- South Korea's returned farmers fell in double figures, keeping a downward trend for the third consecutive year, statistical office data showed Tuesday.
The number of urban households that moved to rural areas to farm for a livelihood stood at 8,243 in 2024, down 20.0 percent compared to the previous year, according to Statistics Korea.
After peaking at 14,347 in 2021, the number continued to slide to 12,411 in 2022, 10,307 in 2023 and 8,243 in 2024.
Of the total return-to-farm household heads, those in their 60s took up the largest portion of 37.9 percent, followed by those in their 50s with 29.2 percent and under the age of 30 with 13.1 percent.
After retiring from their jobs, urban households increasingly settled in rural areas to spend their later years.
One-person households accounted for 78.7 percent of the combined returned farmer households, and two-member households made up 15.3 percent last year.
The number of urban households resettling in fishing villages to fish for a living tumbled 22.5 percent over the year to 555 in 2024.
Of the total return-to-fish household heads, those in their 50s secured the biggest share of 34.2 percent, trailed by those in their 60s with 29.2 percent and 40s with 18.6 percent.
A total of 318,658 households relocated from urban areas to rural ones for non-agricultural jobs and other reasons in 2024, up 4.0 percent from a year earlier. ■
