International Activities

□ The Korea Research Institute for Local Administration (KRILA), led by President Yook Dong-il, announced that it co-hosted the 29th Korea-Japan Regional Policy Workshop in collaboration with the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS) of Japan and the Busan Metropolitan Government. The workshop took place on Wednesday, December 4, at 2 PM at the Busan Port International Exhibition and Convention Center.

□ Approximately 50 participants, including academic experts and local government officials from Korea and Japan, attended the workshop to engage in in-depth discussions on regional development challenges faced by both countries and explore potential solutions.
○ Under the theme “Regulatory Innovation and Special Cases for Strengthening Regional Competitiveness,” the event provided an opportunity for experts from both countries to share their respective case studies and propose practical alternatives.
○ The workshop comprised two presentation sessions followed by discussions, allowing participants to exchange policy experiences and research outcomes from both nations.

□ The Korea-Japan Regional Policy Workshop is a regular academic event jointly organized twice annually by KRILA and GRIPS since its inaugural session in 2009. To date, 28 workshops have been held. The workshop addresses common regional policy issues faced by Korea and Japan and aims to foster bilateral development by facilitating actionable alternatives through collaboration among government, research, and academic experts.

□ This year’s workshop focused on shared challenges, such as population decline, regional disparities, and the utilization of regulatory easing and special provisions to enhance global competitiveness.
○ Japan highlighted bold regulatory reform examples centered on National Strategic Special Zones, offering autonomous and creative approaches to regional development.
○ Korea shared its experiences and policy vision for enhancing regional competitiveness by eliminating unnecessary regulations through local regulatory reform.
○ Additionally, Busan’s ongoing initiative to develop a global hub city received significant attention as an innovative approach to revitalizing the regional economy and enhancing international competitiveness.

□ Key presentations delivered during the workshop included the following:

○ Japan’s Regulatory Innovation Examples: Takada Hirofumi, Vice President of GRIPS, introduced significant regulatory and institutional reforms centered on National Strategic Special Zones. Fujiwara Naoki, a professor at Otemon Gakuin University, presented efforts to promote regulatory innovation for Osaka’s Expo IR Super City development. 

○ The Current State of Korea’s Local Regulatory Reform: Yang Won-tak, Associate Research Fellow at KRILA, outlined trends and improvement directions for local regulatory reform in Korea, while Yoon So-yeon, Associate Research Fellow, analyzed Busan’s strategies to attract investment for its global hub city initiative.

□ KRILA President Yook Dong-il remarked, “This workshop provided an invaluable platform for Korea and Japan to delve into shared regional development challenges and propose creative and practical solutions.” He emphasized that “by sharing the experiences and wisdom of both countries, this workshop will contribute to strengthening regional competitiveness and promoting sustainable development.”
○ President Yook further stated, “Based on the outcomes of the workshop, we plan to formulate policy recommendations and pursue related research continuously.”