The Korea Local Administration Review

The purpose of this study is to examine the current situation and the policy process of the development of the Welfare Administration Organization in Local Governments and search for the appropriate solutions. Currently, under the context that local revitalization programs are associated with reorganization of the social welfare system, the role of local governments has become increasingly important. This study compares the social welfare administration organization in Korea with that in Japan, in terms of localization and participatory welfare. Based on the findings, major implications of this study are as follows. First of all, there must be a division of the role and its clarification between the central government and local governments in order to enhance local governments' autonomy. Secondly, local governments should strength their own administrative power in order to replace the rigidities of the central government and cope with more individualized and diverse needs demanded by local residents. Thirdly, local governments need to encourage public servants to be more professional public servants in order to provide more systematic welfare services to the community. Finally, it is very difficult to utilize social welfare resources without active participation of local residents in the local community.