지방분권과 지역혁신 : 지역발전의 새로운 비전

Abstract

The gap between Seoul metropolis and the local satellites has been widening in Korea. The crisis of the regional economies is mainly due to the super-centralization of politics, economy, and the culture. The lack of the ability to innovate in the regions is another important factor. Therefore the way out of the crisis is decentralization and regional innovation. Decentralization involves deconcentration, devolution, and local autonomy in the fields of economic activities, administration, public finance, and education & culture. Regional innovation involves establishing the regional innovation system, educational innovation, culture innovation, and political innovation. Without decentralization, regional innovation would be impossible. As a democratic alternative, 'decentralization and regional innovation' is a new vision of the regional development in Korea. It's vision coincides with those of endogenous development strategy, people-centred development strategy, and post-fordist development model. The philosophical base of 'decentralization and regional innovation' should be self-determination and self-management. We must pursue the policy of decentralization and regional innovation directed toward progressive values of participation, solidarity, and ecology. Against the market-oriented decentralization we should move toward a community-oriented decentralization. The core elements of alternative development model in the 21st century might be decentralization, innovation, participation, solidarity, and ecology.