This study analyzed the international exchanges of the local governments in Japan to propose some desirable measures for the international exchanges in Korea which situation is similar to that of Japan.
The international exchanges among local governm...
This study analyzed the international exchanges of the local governments in Japan to propose some desirable measures for the international exchanges in Korea which situation is similar to that of Japan.
The international exchanges among local governments are necessary to cope with changes in the international circumstances, to activate local areas, and to solve various problems in the local administration. In addition, the urgent demand for mutual understanding, benefits, and the peace of the world make the international exchanges among local governments indispensable.
Moreover, the international exchanges are needed to provide the services demanded by the local citizens and are deeply related with the encouragement of local governments' self-governing activities which have recently become a hot issue.
The essence of the international exchanges in Japan has been analyzed from several perspectives organizations, institutions, sisterhood relationships, and the numbers of foreign students and foreigners. In addition to the general analyses, "Do-Keun Hyun" was selected for detailed understanding.
To understand the realities in the international exchanges in Korea, two perspectives - the organization and the sisterhood relationship - were emphasized. Based on these analyses, several suggestions were made for the activation of the international exchanges of the local governments in Korea.
As shown in the introduction, internationalization cannot be stopped. To get any benefit from this situation, we should make active use of it rather than be passively adapted. However, it should not be forgotten that internationalization has, if any, a meaning only when internationalization goes hand in hand with our own culture. Without this, internationalization means only "becoming another foreign country" which will bring about not benefits but losses. Conclusively, we need to understand ourselves to have international exchanges meaningful.