In South Korea, the ongoing low birth rate has led to a decrease in the school-age population and the underutilization of school facilities and land, emerging as a social issue. In response to this phenomenon, the Ministry of Education has implemented improvements in the education system, including the "Flexible operation of education in regions and schools." This aims to purpose school facilities beyond their traditional role as educational spaces, transforming them into multipurpose spaces for community use. School facilities are increasingly regarded as resources that promote regional revitalization from both geographical and emotional perspectives. Consequently, the scope of utilizing these facilities as public spaces for local communities is expanding, enabling the creation of customized public spaces that align with the characteristics and conditions of each community.

Therefore, this study aims to analyze cases of public spaces utilizing Korean school facilities and propose directions for their improvement and development as accessible public spaces that can be used not only by students but also by residents. Through a literature review, a checklist based on public space components of school facility utilization was derived based on types of school facility utilization and related guidelines. Based on this, field research was conducted focusing on cultural, educational, and community-centered spaces utilizing school facilities in Korea, primarily those developed after the 2020s. As a result, public spaces utilizing school facilities in Korea provide community activities focused on lifelong education programs for residents, in addition to being linked to school education. Through this, the physical environments of currently operating school facilities and closed school facilities are utilized to assign new functions and values as public spaces through new construction or remodeling. Additionally, these spaces often reinforce local identity by hosting exhibitions or events that reflect regional characteristics. In addition, school facilities are generally located in densely residential areas, making space utilization easier. In some cases, institutions operated by local governments also moved into the space, showing that various public infrastructure was provided to local residents. As the potential for utilizing school facilities as multifunctional public spaces based on connections with the local community becomes more apparent, there is a need to consider the establishment of more detailed guidelines. For this purpose, future research could yield more meaningful results by conducting surveys and interviews to assess the satisfaction of residents.

Keywords: Utilization of School Facilities, Local Community.