디지털 기술 기반 농어촌 빈집 활용 전략 연구 - 스마트 빌리지 전환을 위한 공간계획적 접근 -

Abstract

This study aims to explore strategic approaches to utilizing vacant houses in rural areas through the application of digital technologies, with a specific focus on their potential role in the transition toward smart villages. While rural vacancy issues have been traditionally addressed through demolition or temporary remodeling policies, such measures often fall short of providing sustainable solutions. Recognizing the limitations of existing approaches, this research reconceptualizes vacant houses not merely as physical liabilities but rather as strategic spatial assets for technological experimentation and rural regeneration. To achieve this goal, a structured analytical framework is developed, incorporating six key dimensions: type of applied digital technology, utilization purpose, governance and operating actors, institutional linkage, sustainability, and scalability. Using a qualitative case study method, the research analyzes seven domestic and international cases in Japan and Korea. The cases are categorized into four strategic types: tourism-oriented temporary stay models, digital work center models, energy-autonomous hubs, and community-based shared space models. Based on the case analysis, the study proposes practical strategies and policy conditions for the implementation of each type. These include infrastructure development, institutional flexibility through regulatory sandbox policies, hybrid governance models, and tailored policy instruments for each functional type. The study concludes that digital technologies, when strategically integrated, can fundamentally redefine the functions of rural vacant houses and contribute to the spatial restructuring of rural areas. This paper offers theoretical and policy-oriented insights into digital transformation in rural planning, and lays the groundwork for empirical research on smart village development.