The Korea Local Administration Review

This study analysed institutional evolution in resident autonomy between SouthKorea and Japan from the comparative perspective based on historicalinstitutionalism. It tried to find out the characteristics of institutional evolution intwo countries by analysing functional conflicts between assistance in administrationand citizen autonomy. This research found some differences between two countriessuch as the degree of discontinuity in the historical path change, the clarity ofterritorial boundary for resident autonomy, and institutional milieu. However, therewere also some common points in two countries as follows: ⅰ) the organizationsof resident autonomy were utilized as assistant agent by central government, ⅱ)the policy of local governments consolidation had ties with the strengthen policy ofresident autonomy, ⅲ) recently there seemed to be a sign of crisis in residentautonomy because of public indifference. It drew out some policy implications whichare the problem of institutional learning from Japan owing to the differences ofinstitutional milieu, and the change of government perspective in viewing assistantrole in administration concerning resident autonomy.
□ Keywords: residents autonomy, citizen autonomy, path change, historicalinstitutionalism