Key factors for sustainable operation of smart rural communities in aging societies: Voices of Korean community leaders

The purpose of this study is to identify the success factors for achieving sustainable operation of smart rural communities. Smart rural communities, enabled by smart technology, are regarded as a potential solution to the challenges posed by aging populations in Korea. However, the sustainable operation of smart rural communities is complex, as a variety of factors should be addressed. To address issues of aging problems in rural communities, this study proposes a priority factor for smart rural community service by applying an analytical hierarchy process (AHP) method and in-depth interviews. The AHP model was designed based on a socio-technical system, and an AHP survey was conducted with community leaders who have experience in smart rural community projects. This study proposes a total of 4 criteria and 16 factors along with their corresponding priorities. The results indicate that the local culture is the most important for a sustainable smart rural community compared to other factors. Specifically, factors such as empathy of rural residents, stable financial support, and the presence of smart technology professionals and technical staff are critical for achieving successful smart rural communities for the elderly people. This study found that the cultural and human aspects are more critical for the sustainable operation of smart rural communities than technology infrastructure. The findings of this study provide valuable insights to other countries similar to Korea facing aging problems in rural areas planning to introduce smart rural communities.