Basic Report

The history of local autonomy in South Korea is over 20 years. Yet, we don’t form a social consensus, and achieve full success of local autonomy. So far many domestic and foreign scholars have studied the local autonomy from various angles. But, actually local autonomy in South Korea is still inadequacy. In the global economic crisis and change of administrative surroundings, it is helpful for local autonomy in South Korea to investigate the perception of wide scope about local autonomy before public policy in local autonomy. We defined local autonomy, performed the basic data research about local autonomy used quantitative and qualitative methods and suggested infrastructure, citizen participation, decentralization, and cooperation to succeed local autonomy in South Korea. This research findings can be used when policy decision makers determine public policies in local autonomy. The purposes of this study are to investigate and analyse the perception of central public servants, local public servants, and regular citizens about local autonomy. We extracted keywords about the investigation of wide scope about local autonomy from literature review, institutional review, experts workshops, and pre-survey. We investigated basic questions about local autonomy, and current state(performance) and future necessity(importance) about local autonomy. Then, we suggested questionnaires for infrastructure, citizen participation, decentralization, and cooperation, conducted surveys, in other words, 1,200 copies of questionnaires were distributed to central public servants, local public servants, and regular citizens of 17 metropolitan cities and provinces nationwide and 1,000 valid questionnaires were used for analysis. Using SPSS 20.0 for Windows package, frequency analysis, one way ANOVA, gap analysis, and Importance-Performance-Analysis were conducted. After the survey, public servants of central and local governments, and regular citizens were given in-depth interviews to supplement the survey results. First, 62.9% of the respondents said the local autonomy in South Korea was not working well, 84.6% of the respondents said the local autonomy in South Korea is necessary. Many respondents of central public servants said central government and local governments are cooperators and central government has willingness of local autonomy. But, many respondents of local public servants and regular citizens said central government regards local governments as lower organizations and central government has little willingness of local autonomy. Majority of the respondents chose the capability of local governments, interests and participation of citizens, and supports of central governments are necessary for local autonomy in South Korea. Majority of the respondents said autonomous police system is necessary. Many respondents of central public servants said educational autonomy system is unnecessary, but, many respondents of local public servants and regular citizens said educational autonomy system is necessary. Many respondents of central public servants said citizens have taken the lead citizen participation, but, many respondents of local public servants and regular citizens said government have taken the lead citizen participation. Majority of the respondents said central government have taken the lead local autonomy. Majority of the respondents said citizens should lead citizen participation and local government should lead local autonomy. Second, there are great gaps between current state(performance) and future necessity(importance) in “independence in finances of local governments”, “capacity of local public servants”, and “willingness of citizens participation”. It means the area of “independence in finances of local governments”, “capacity of local public servants”, and “willingness of citizens participation” have few performances and great importance. Third, we point out “independence in finances of local governments”, “cooperation system among local governments”, “cooperation between central and local government”, “capacity of local public servants”, and “willingness of citizens participation” are most important area to promote the local autonomy in South Korea.This study is significant as it has analyzed the perception of wide scope about local autonomy and propose the most important area to promote the local autonomy in South Korea. However, it is limited in that it did not review all relevant theories and previous studies; the target case area is limited to basic perception of local autonomy; and systematic case analysis was not conducted. It is expected that future research will complement the limitations of this study.