The Bank of Korea has recommended increasing the migration of middle-aged and older workers to smaller regional areas as a strategy to reduce labor imbalances between regions.

The proposal was outlined in a report released Sunday, analyzing the impact of demographic shifts on local labor markets.

Based on projections of economically active populations across cities, counties, and districts from 2022 to 2042, the central bank warned that disparities in workforce distribution in smaller areas are expected to widen significantly.

According to the report, the number of cities, counties, and districts with fewer than ten-thousand workers is projected to rise from zero to 15 by 2024.

Conversely, the number of areas with more than 300-thousand workers is expected to increase from 18 to 21 during the same period, exacerbating urban labor concentration.