Analysis of Inequality Levels of Industrial Development in Rural Areas through Inequality Indices and Spatial Autocorrelation

Abstract

To achieve a balanced and sustainable rural development pattern, this study used the Theil index, Gini coefficient, and Spatial Autocorrelation method to analyze the inequality of industrial economic development between rural areas in South Korea. The results showed that considering the whole of South Korea, the inequality in industrial economic development level among rural areas was reasonably balanced, and the inequality level showed a trend of narrowing. Considering the first-level regions, the levels of inequality varied. The economic development level of the rural areas around the Capital Area and Metropolitan Cities was higher than that of other rural areas, and policies should be established to support the economic development of other rural areas.