As a policy research institute established in 1984, Korea Research Institute for Local Administration has grown into a core research institute that has led the research on local autonomy in Korea. Over the past thirty years, we have received the evaluation that we contributed to the development of local autonomous administration in Korea through numerous research activities and played a key role in establishing the academic foundation of related fields.
Covid-19 pandemic has brought incalculable suffering to people everywhere. Amid these dire trends, Korea has continued to fight against the pandemic since its first outbreak in January 2020. The central government of Korea has established its close cooperative system with local governments to overcome the unprecedented crisis. Korea’s response served as a model for the rest of the world and the disease control system of the central government and local governments hold lessons for many other countries.
Korea Research Institute for Local Administration (KRILA), since its establishment in 1984, has been recognized as a leading think tank for local autonomy as well as regional development. At the end of 2016, as a part of the policy for balanced national development, it has moved to Gangwon Innovation City in accordance with the policy of relocation of public organizations and has been developing with Wonju city ever since. The history of KRILA has grown to a great extent over the past 36 years and played a pivotal role to make remarkable progress of the central and local governments.
The local areas with 243 local governments in Korea are diverse and hence have the potential to grow further. KRILA will leverage this potential as much as possible to serve as a link for a win-win development with central government and local governments. Moreover, we will create a cooperative system with the idea that KRILA can prosper along with the local areas.
Not long ago, the revised bill of the Local Autonomy Act has got approval from the National Assembly, and the government is pushing for the Korean New Deal policy as well as preparing for the fourth industry, which leads KRILA to perform a range of duties. In this regard, we will fortify cooperation with a wide range of agents such as the central government, local governments, and civilian experts from various fields to strengthen comprehensive and preemptive academic research and to actively respond to the demands and voices.
We promise to strive to become the best think-tank responsible for the future of the local autonomy in Korea. Thank you for your continued support and interest.
President, Korea Research Institute for Local Administration
