The local area is emerging as an essential economic unit while its role and importance are highlighted, whereas the central government's role is being reduced due to both the localization and the globalization of the economy. With this trend of new re...
The local area is emerging as an essential economic unit while its role and importance are highlighted, whereas the central government's role is being reduced due to both the localization and the globalization of the economy. With this trend of new regionalism, the wide-area development strategy of economic development coupled with local political changes, such as decentralized national development structure, is emerging on a worldwide scale.
In Korea, the south-coast-era project, both a short- and a long-term wide-area development strategy centered on Gyeongnam with the participation of Pusan and Jeonnam provinces, is attracting public attention as a new model of development(Gyeongnam, 2006: Gyeongnam 2005). This project is highly valued in terms of strategy and the establishment of the new relationship, as it emphasizes not downward decision-making methods practiced from national plan to local plan but mutual strong points of the area and upward decision-making methods. The local area suggests alternatives to the central government's method of centralized decision-making.
This wide-area development strategy is intended for adjacent local economic areas, so it is somewhat similar to the typical metropolitan development plan or wide-area development plan defined in the existing national plan system. However, to achieve the goal of each planner through the mutual effort, it will be difficult to accept the time-frame of the existing plan.
This study covers the meaning of the wide-area development plans in progress at various local levels and the alternatives in which the wide-area governance system can be built systemically.
Based on this research, the flow in various local governance system of local development in foreign countries shows four tendencies:
Firstly, decentralization in Europe has advanced and attention on governance has increased. In European nations, especially, inter-governmental relationships and decentralization have spread widely, and multi dimensional governance is actively discussed nowadays.
Secondly, changes have been made in inter-governmental relationships such that the trend in developmental strategy is to shift decision-making to localities. Progress in decentralization has transformed central-local government relationships and also gradually changed the goals, means, and bodies of local policies.
Thirdly, there is a strategic importance for local development and the strengthening of a full-charge organization's role for local development. As recent local-development plans in foreign countries show selective and strategic characteristics in policy goal, subject, and form of execution, foreign countries are preparing and operating their organizations.
Fourth, the governance system for local development has various forms according to the characteristics of the nation's political, administrative structure, and horizontal cooperative culture. Local governance types in Europe can be classified as "central government leading type, local government leading type, and non government organization leading type(self-control organization type)", by the level of political, administrative structure and decentralization and participation of a concerned party in private and local sector.
Voluntary participation of local communities and the reinforcement of internal abilities to make decisions are essential for us to build and operate local governance systems successfully in accordance with globalization and decentralization. It is prerequisite to produce cooperative relationships between official and non-official organizations and establish social customs that promote horizontal discussions and cooperative cultures.
In order to achieve this, we should escape from the static environment of the past and build the cooperative system in accordance with a dynamic cooperative environment. Administrative councils and local government unions should be complemented such as in foreign countries to be selected and utilized in various ways. In business trust, agreements and contracts as well as local autonomy law needs to be utilized and the introduction of plan contract should be considered. Besides, systemic preparation for the cooperation between local governments includes building up financial cooperation of wide-area plans, reinforcing the relationship among the chiefs of local government, and organizing local government council.
For an instance, mutual cooperation is spreading gradually within the new development project in the south coast area. However, we solve current problems in short periods rather than use long term vision, and as a result, cooperation is achieved only to the extent that it doesn't have binding power such as a social gathering or a conference. Therefore the aim of cooperative business relationships should be to build various forms of cooperative networks in which many local governments and private and official sectors participate. From now on, it will be necessary to consider establishments and operations of practical plans under the long term vision, together with basic data research, broad band statistics and public information, and joint research from the short term approach.
According to the cooperative business content, we need to diversify our decision-making methods, considering the extent and flexibility of cooperation such as various local government unions, businesses, contracts (agreements) and co-investments.
Cooperative businesses should adhere to the comprehensive development plan in a long and short term periods, including not only hardware but also software. Deep analysis and revaluation on existing local development business should be performed in advance, and the new development strategy on three areas needs to be prepared.
To achieve this goal, it is necessary to establish wide-area transportation network(road, train) and information network when we consider exchange network is not prepared yet. Central government should have the reason of support to facilitate cooperative business among the local governments.
Finally, a desirable wide area governance system should be changed from top-down to bottom-up in local development. The local government have to organize 'cooperative development council', consult and mediate local issues and prepare master plan for the local development. And also, it needs to suggest 'special bill' which secure support from the central government and demand legislation to the assembly. Therefore, the central government could save the national treasury by reducing overlapping investment and solve the long cherished desire of residents through the environment-friendly local development.
The organic cooperation between local government is important to accomplish this so it is necessary to operate 'cooperative development council' and to build partnership by organizing network between the local media and civil organization. To deliver source of revenue, it is required to promote not only the support of central government but also the active participation of local economic organizations. By inducing foreign investment and developing the area as a international attraction, 'South sea region' will have opportunity to leap into the 7 economic area of northeast Asia.