한국지방행정연구원

Local Government in Korea 2026 This publication has been prepared to provide domestic and international researchers, policymakers, local government officials, and other readers interested in local administration with a comprehensive overview of the institutional foundations, current conditions, and major policy issues of local autonomy in Korea. This edition provides a comprehensive overview of the major institutions and policies concerning local administration, local public finance, and regional development. In the area of local administration, it examines the legal foundations of local autonomy, the local administrative system, and the operation of local government executive organs and local councils. It also introduces major institutions and policies concerning decentralization, citizen participation, the current issues of metropolitan and provincial government integration and the directions for reforming metropolitan administrative systems, digital and AI-driven innovation in local administration, the autonomous police system, and a locally led disaster and safety management system. For local autonomy to function effectively, it must be supported by the stable expansion of local fiscal capacity and financial management that guarantees both autonomy and accountability. The section on local public finance introduces the major systems and improvement measures concerning the structure of local public finance, local revenues and expenditures, the local finance adjustment system, intergovernmental fiscal allocation, and local finance management. The section on regional development examines balanced regional development and development policies for underdeveloped regions. It also introduces the “Five Poles and Three Special Autonomous Provinces” national balanced-growth strategy, the successful settlement of innovation cities, and policy responses to depopulation regions. In addition, it presents new policy directions for responding to population decline and declining regional vitality through the concept of the living population.

2026

So-young Lee (Vice President), Dae-wook Jeon (Executive Director, Office of Local Autonomy and Decentralization System), Ji-soo Kim (Executive Director, Office of Local Administration Innovation), Sung-joo Kim (Executive Director, Office of Local Finance

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Local Government in Korea I am pleased to present Local Government in Korea, published by the Korea Research Institute for Local Administration, designed to inform local government experts and stakeholders both domestically and internationally. This booklet aims to showcase Korea's dynamic local government system and highlight its development trajectory and innovative practices. As countries worldwide confront challenges such as economic growth, urbanization, and regional disparities, the role of local governments has become increasingly significant. Korea's local government system has made remarkable progress in fostering regional development, enhancing the efficiency of public administration, and empowering local communities through decentralization. I believe that Korea’s experiences will provide valuable insights for other nations. I hope that this publication serves as a valuable resource for scholars, practitioners and policymakers, and that it contributes to strengthening cooperation between Korea and other countries in the field of local government. The Korea Research Institute for Local Administration is committed to advancing local government through research and international cooperation and sharing the research results globally. Finally, I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to the researchers of the Korea Research Institute for Local Administration for their invaluable contributions to this booklet. I also extend my sincere thanks to stakeholders, both domestically and internationally, for their unwavering support and dedication to advancing local government. December 2024 Dong-il Yook President, Korea Research Institute for Local Administration

2025

Jae-bok Joo, In-soo Choi, Dae-wook Jeon, Young-joo Kang, Su-Dong Kim, Du-sub Shin , Sung-man Jeon, So-young Lee, So-yeon Yoon,

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Social Value in Local Governments Over the last few years, the world has experienced an unprecedented pandemic. At the crossroads of coexistence or co-destruction, nations learned that community-centred thinking and action was needed, breaking away from self-centred behaviour. This relates to ongoing discussions around ‘social value’. Those discussions on social value are taking place in both the public and private sectors and there are efforts underway to spread social values. However, discussions around how social value differs from existing public values and from a government's pursuit of publicity are ongoing. This handbook furthers the discussion on the premise that social value is the main axis of the paradigm shift of local governments oriented towards traditional development administration. The handbook focuses on what should be done by local governments to spread social value, directly accommodating the demands of residents.

2023

Youngju Kang

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GoalsPromoting Local Innovation for Inclusion of People in Vulnerable Situations and Leaving No One Behind Ensuring no one is left behind is the overarching principle of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Achieving that goal entails taking bold and accelerated actions to end extreme poverty, curb inequalities, confront discrimination and fast-track progress for those who endure disadvantages or deprivations that limit their choices and opportunities relative to others in society. Local governance plays a fundamental role in ensuring social inclusion, as frontline responder and executor of collective local action processes and crisis recovery. Innovation, including emerging technologies and the digital social realm, can be a powerful tool when used for and by people in vulnerable situations, overcoming otherwise limited access, reach and participation. At the same time, it can further marginalize vulnerable people and reinforce already wide social divides. The recent COVID-19 pandemic crisis has been a huge stumbling block in the achievement of social inclusion for the poor and marginalized populations, resulting in a significant setback and deeply affecting economic and social opportunities. The human and economic costs of the pandemic have been unparalleled. The pandemic also slowed the transition to greener, more inclusive economies and delayed progress towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).i This handbook focuses on promoting and harnessing innovation to foster social inclusion of people in vulnerable situations and the principle of leaving no one behind for local governance. It introduces innovative approaches, strategies, practices, and tools and people-centred actions to mitigate social vulnerabilities and achieve the SDGs.

2023

UNPOG

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Goals Fostering Collaborative Public Administrationfor Local Governments This handbook explains the concepts, attributes and approaches of collaborative administration and specifically introduces practical cases of collaborative public administration in local governments in the Republic of Korea. Collaborative public administration is recognized as a method that can effectively respond to complex and diverse administrative demands, but there are many obstacles in applying it on a practical level.

2023

Jaeyong Lee

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EFFECTIVE NATIONAL TOLOCAL GOVERNANCE FORCLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATIONAND ADAPTATION This Handbook focuses on the critical role of local governance in combatting climate change through mitigation andadaptation. It does so by introducing diverse specific strategies, approaches and policy tools to address climatechange to enhance one country’s capacity and readiness on national to local governance. The Handbook will assistlocal governments with mainstreaming relevant policy frameworks and strategies for climate change mitigation andadaptation and strengthen the capacity and readiness of local governments to promote climate change mitigation(with a particular emphasis on fostering the capabilities and skills to engage with diverse stakeholders in the legal,institutional and policy processes). This Handbook also aims to introduce global good and innovative practicespromoting local governance for climate change mitigation and adaptation and to assist local government andrelevant stakeholders with identifying areas for improvement and possible modes and mechanisms of governmentinterventions, in partnership, where possible, with the private sector (SDG 17).

2023

UNPOG

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Digital Transformation in Local Government: Leadership, Human Resources and OrganizationalStructure The age of digital transformation, including the evolution of early e-government efforts towards a more holistic anduser-centered approach, has arrived. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (2030 Agenda) includes afocus on governments’ digital transformation potential to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Todate, governments’ input and resources for digital transformation have mainly been in the introduction of specifictechnologies. The changes remain mainly at the level of the central government. As a result, it is difficult to find aclear consensus on the concept, goals and strategies of digital transformation at the local level. Discussions ondigital transformation in local governments have been neglected. This handbook introduces the concept of digitaltransformation to policymakers and public managers who are contemplating the digital transformation of localgovernments. It introduces various organizational management elements required for successful digitaltransformation, including the leadership, human resources and organizational structure of the digital innovator,which are said to be the most essential elements for digital transformation. Examples of successful efforts fromseveral countries also are included.

2023

Kyungeun Lee, KRILA

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Strengthening Resilience in Cities and Local Communities Through Innovation and Digital Government This handbook introduces the reader to concepts, approaches, tools, exercises and innovative cases to Strengthen Resilience in Cities and Local Communities through Innovation and Digital Government. The handbook guides the reader towards roadmaps, policy toolkits, manuals and peer support to help cities and local communities better invest in practical action to strengthen resilience. This handbook builds on global good practices on effective governance. It also build on the Training Toolkit on “Risk-informed Governance and Innovative Technology for Disaster Risk Reduction and Resilience” as part of the Curriculum on Governance for the SDGs, which was developed by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA), Division for Public Institutions and Digital Government (DPIDG), through the UN Project Office on Governance (UNPOG). This handbook is part of a series of six succinct publications within UN DESA’s Curriculum on Governance for the SDGs designed to promote effective, accountable and inclusive public institutions.

2023

UNPOG

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Local Government in Korea CHAPTER 1. THE PRESENT OF LOCAL AUTONOMY CHAPTER 2. INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT CHAPTER 3. ADMINISTRATIVE STRUCTURE OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT CHAPTER 4. LOCAL ELECTIONS AND COUNCILORS CHAPTER 5. COOPERATION AMONG LOCAL GOVERNMENTS CHAPTER 6. GUIDANCE AND SUPERVISION OF THE STATE OR UPPER-LEVEL INSTITUTIONS CHAPTER 7. INSTITUTIONAL MEASURES FOR CITIZEN PARTICIPATION CHAPTER 8. OVERVIEW OF LOCAL FINANCE CHAPTER 9. LOCAL EXPENDITURE CHAPTER 10. LOCAL REVENUE CHAPTER 11. INTERGOVERNMENTAL FISCAL TRANSFERS CHAPTER 12. OVERVIEW OF REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT POLICY CHAPTER 13. REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT POLICES OF ROH MOO-HYUN ADMINISTRATION CHAPTER 14. LEE MYUNG-BAK ADMINSTRATION'S REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT POLICIES CHATPER 15. PARK GEUN-HYE ADMINISTRATION'S REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT POLICY

2014

KRILA

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Local Government in Korea CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION CHAPTER 2 INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT CHAPTER 3 LOCAL GOVERNMENT FUNCTIONS CHAPTER 4 THE FRAMEWORK FOR LOCAL ELECTIONS CHAPTER 5 LOCAL GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATION CHAPTER 6 LOCAL GOVERNMENT CIVIL SERVICE CHAPTER 7 THE CENTRAL-LOCAL RELATIONSHIPS CHAPTER 8 OVERVIEW OF LOCAL FINANCE CHAPTER 9 LOCAL EXPENDITURE CHAPTER 10 LOCAL REVENUE CHAPTER 11 INTERGOVERNMENTAL FISCAL TRANSFERS CHAPTER 12 REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT POLICIES CHAPTER 13 RECENT REFORMS IN LOCAL GOVERNMENTS

2007

KRILA

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