The Korea Local Administration Review

This study attempts to empirically investigate how local residents’ sense of stability can affect their happiness. In the study, happiness is defined as a value which can appear through the interactions between individuals and the society. Paying attention to a psychological factor, especially the local residents’ place attachment, the research suggests what government should do to make its residents happier. Panel analysis(fixed effect) based on Seoul survey data, collected from 2007 to 2014, was used for the analysis. Result of the analysis shows, place attachment factors based on the sense of stability, economic factor, infra structure, green space and environmental factors have statistically significant impact. Interesting finding of the research is that, individuals who perceive Seoul as their hometown tended to feel higher level of happiness, no matter where they are actually from. The finding indicates that local residents’ place attachment can have a significant implication to public administration. The study can help local governments provide higher quality of public service by giving useful information about the factors which can increase the local residents’ happiness.

□ Keywords: Happiness, Place Attachment, consciousness of Hometown, Seoul Survey