South Korea has experienced rapid economic development since the 1960s. However, pronounced regional disparities have concurrently emerged. Amid the escalating regional inequalities and persistent demographic challenges characterized by low fertility rates, regional decline has become a pressing issue. Therefore, the feasibility of expanding transportation networks as a countermeasure to regional decline has been proposed. This study utilizes the synthetic control method and spatial difference-in-differences methodologies to assess the impact of the 2017 opening of Seoul–Yangyang Expressway on economic development and population inflow within Hongcheon-gun, Inje-gun, and Yangyang-gun. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of highway development as a policy instrument to mitigate regional decline. Findings from the synthetic control method analysis suggest a positive impact of the opening of the expressway on Hongcheon-gun’s Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP) in 2018, as well as Yangyang-gun’s net migration rates from 2017 to 2019. Conversely, the spatial difference-in-differences analysis, designed to identify spillover effects, reveals negative impacts of the highway on the GRDP and net migration rates of adjacent regions. Consequently, although targeted transportation infrastructure development in key non Seoul Metropolitan cities may contribute to ameliorating regional imbalances, results indicate that such measures alone are unlikely to suffice in attracting population to small- and medium-sized cities outside the Seoul Metropolitan Area.

This research calls for intellectual and methodological unity among Muslims considering the current fragmentation and disintegration affecting the community. It emphasizes the need for cohesion, moving away from confrontations with differing ideas and interpretations. The study highlights a key aspect of tolerance ethics, a trait exemplified by esteemed jurists throughout history, who incorporated these values into their writings and actions as a model for future generations. Their respectful conduct in dialogues, debates, and interactions with opposing views serves as a guiding example. Key themes include decorum towards differing opinions, the avoidance of offensive language, and fairness in judgments, refraining from examining others’ intentions. These principles of tolerance are evident in historical and biographical works, showcasing the jurists’ ethical approach and intellectual maturity in addressing both minor and major disagreements, reflecting an ethical dimension in their discourse.

This paper uses quantitative research methods to explore the differences in the impact of virtual influencers on different consumer groups in the context of technological integration and innovation. The study uses DBSCAN (Density-Based Spatial Clustering of Applications with Noise) clustering technology to segment consumers and combines social media behavior analysis with purchase records to collect data to identify differences in consumer behavior under the influence of virtual influencers. Consumers’ emotional resonance and brand awareness information about virtual influencers are extracted through sentiment analysis technology. The study finds that there are significant differences in the influence of virtual influencers on different consumer groups, especially in high-potential purchase groups, where the influence of virtual influencers is strong but short-lived. This paper further explores the deep integration of virtual influencer technology with new generation information technologies such as 5G and artificial intelligence, and emphasizes the importance of such technological integration in enhancing the endogenous and empowering capabilities of virtual influencers. The research results show that technological integration and innovation can not only promote the development of virtual influencers, but also provide new technical support for infrastructure construction, especially in the fields of smart cities and industrial production. This paper provides a new theoretical perspective for the market application of virtual influencers and provides practical support for the application of virtual technology in infrastructure construction.

Recovery and resilience plan (RRP) approved by the European Commission fosters the development of lifelong learning programs to upgrade employees’ skills and knowledge for digital and green transitions. Within higher education, the field of information and communication technology (ICT) is also a priority area, so we compared the demographic variables of students enrolled in formal first-cycle higher education programs in ICT with those enrolled in lifelong ICT programs within the framework of the Advanced Computer Skills project funded by the RRP in Slovenia. The results show that formal first-cycle higher education in the field of ICT remains strongly male-dominated, whereas, among participants in lifelong learning, the percentage of females stands out. Bachelor programs in ICT are primarily enrolled by young people aged up to 24 years, while shorter university-based lifelong learning programs attract mostly older participants with higher completed formal education and from a broader range of prior educational backgrounds. Finally, when all three variables (gender, age and level of prior formal education) are considered, participants in lifelong learning are much more similar to part-time students than full-time bachelor ICT students, although the percentage of men in formal education is still predominant even in part-time studies. The research findings highlight the need for further efforts to offer lifelong learning in ICT to enable individuals to improve their employment prospects, progress in the workplace or even change their field of work.