We have been realized the rapid industrialization and urbanization in consequence of the great development of economy. We are currently living in the age of development and urbanization. The urban residents in Korea were merely at the level of 30 perc...
We have been realized the rapid industrialization and urbanization in consequence of the great development of economy. We are currently living in the age of development and urbanization. The urban residents in Korea were merely at the level of 30 percent of total population in 1960, but they reached 70 percent in 1982. The urban dwellers are expected to occupy more than 80 percent in the year 2,000.
With the growth of population, metropo1is has been formed, developed in many ways.
In fact, it is centralized the important, various functions such as social, cultural economic, administrative and political points. On the contrary local small towns (EUP) have fallen behind in various aspects during the past 20 years. EUP has functions of urban administration, but as the subordinate agency of KUN, it has illogical problems carring out the function of rural administration.
The object of this paper lies in studying the strategy of small town (EUP) development which is one of new stratigies of regional development. It is necessary to establish strategies to over come the socioeconomic disparities between central and local areas between urban and rural areas for the balanced development of the country. And it is aims to develop the local rural center (EUP) into the organic integrated society which has independent social, economic, administrative order through connective development between urbar and rural areas and eventually to increase the quality of life of the people.
So far, for the solution of these problems we investigated the urban administrative functions and the development programs of a few towns (Kongju, Taech’on, Onyang) which fulfill the conditions and problems of them.
First, if we look into present conditions of the urban functions centering around these towns, they have more than 50,000 inhabitants, that is legal requisites for the promotion to cities in the population and is qualified to be promoted to cities in the industrial frames and urban substructures. But the financial ability is so poor that the long-term projects for local development cannot be driven in fact.
On the other hand, though the amount of local taxes to be assumed to the residents in these towns is similar to that of cities, it is true that the urban administrative services are unreasonably scanty.
Now that in Korea they practice a KUN-autonomy system that the towns are only subordinate agencies carring not urban but rural administrative functions, urban administration cannot be carried in these towns because they are not self-governing organizations.
Therefore their local development is being slowed down more and more. In the aspects of the equitable development of national land, we should recognize the necessity of the development of small towns as well as fully equipping of local administrative agencies and strengthening of human power and plan the improvement in the position and administration of small towns. In addition, we should strengthen the financial power. And we can achieve the equitable development of national land by providing the residents with urban, cultural, administrative services.
Finally, we should promote too big some towns to cities for local development.