The Korea Local Administration Review

In France, interest in regional balanced development began to emerge in the 1940s, and it gained momentum through the 1950s and 1960s. This was characterized by the introduction of national land planning policy and the establishment of relevant organization to implement such policies. For a while, these two factors played a central role in regional balanced development policies. However, with the changing times, ideologies suitable for regional development and decentralization emerged, leading to continuous changes in policy direction and implementing bodies. And as local decentralization has been strengthened, regional integration strategies for local governments to play a leading role have been increasingly emphasized. Through regional integration, policies tailored to the characteristics of each region were pursued, accompanied by the devolution of relevant authorities. Representative examples of integration include the emergence of metropolitan cooperation bodies focusing on urban development and the integration among cities. Metropolitan cooperation bodies aim to promote regional development centered around major cities, while inter-regional integration fosters the formation of metropolitan areas to enhance competitiveness at both national and European levels. Through such individual regional developments, the ultimate goal is to promote regional balanced development.