A new study shows that nearly half of all cities, counties and districts nationwide are in danger of becoming ghost towns amid a protracted period of depopulation.

According to Lee Sang-ho, a researcher at the Korea Employment Information Service, 113 out of 228 local administrative units, approximately 49-point-six percent, were considered at risk of vanishing as of last month.

These areas suffering from rural shrinkage show an extinction-risk index of below zero-point-five. The index compares the older population aged 65 and over and the female population aged between 20 and 39. A reading below zero-point-five indicates that a region is entering the extinction risk stage.

Recent additions to this at-risk list include cities situated on the suburbs of metropolitan Seoul, such as Pocheon and Dongducheon, as well as areas where the manufacturing industry has declined, such as Tongyeong and Gunsan.

The latest findings were published in the spring edition of the Employment Information Service's quarterly magazine released on Friday. The content is also available on its website(www.keis.or.kr).