농촌지역의 발전과 성장에 미치는 결정요인에 대한 탐색적 접근: 스마트와 지속가능한 농촌발전을 중심으로 = Exploratory Approaches to the Decisive Factors of the Development and Growth in Rural Areas: Focusing on Smart and Sustainable Rural Development

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

As socioeconomic stagnation and decline in rural areas become a global trend, regardless of whether they are developed or developing, interest in the causes of this phenomenon is growing. However, not all rural areas are experiencing stagnation and decline, raising the need to analyze the factors driving the differences between rural areas. The primary argument is that the gap in development and growth between rural areas is a result of geographical advantage, i.e., geographical conditions. However, some argue that this geographical condition alone is insufficient to explain the gap in development and growth between rural areas, and this argument is gaining traction. In other words, while differences in geographical conditions may contribute to the gap in development and growth between rural areas to some extent, they may also stem from differences in regional development strategies, which may be another factor. This study examines the impact of geographical conditions, which can lead to conflicting outcomes of rural development and decline, and the interplay of key factors in smart and sustainable rural development, including agricultural diversification and specialization, scale and concentration, rural convenience and the creative economy, and socio-technical networks and cooperation. Drawing on prior research, this study explores the interplay of these factors. While proximity and connectivity to urban areas are crucial for rural development, appropriately establishing and implementing embeddedness, relevance, and connectivity—the key elements of smart development specialization—can help bridge geographical gaps to some extent while simultaneously driving innovative change, becoming a key determinant of rural development and growth. This study offers significant implications.