Summary The ‘population cliff’ issue, emerged in Japan as a major social problem due to the country’s low birth rate and aging population, is now also becoming a reality in Korea. Population growth has already slowed down, and thirty percent of Korean local governments are losing population, facing imminent threats. In such regions, the underuse of built-up area as a result of the decreasing population has led to the steep rise of vacant houses and idle urban spaces. Extended neglection of vacant houses can create problems encompassing physical, social and economic aspects, such as: deterioration of residential environment; danger of collapse; disintegration of the urban landscape; rise in crime; and increased vulnerability to natural disasters.
The spatial concentration and sprawl of vacant houses speed up the slumification of adjacent areas, and the negative external effects impose heavy socioeconomic burden on such areas.

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