The Korea Local Administration Review

This study aims to review the past 40 years’ research performance of Korea Research Institute for Local Administration (KRILA) in the field of local finance and to suggest the institution’s research priorities in order to advance the field of local finance in South Korea. For this purpose, the study selects a total of 748 local finance-related studies conducted by KRILA as an analysis subject. The text network analysis identifies local tax systems, public financial management and intergovernmental fiscal adjustment as key topics. From 1985 to 2010, when research on local finance and local tax systems was conducted together, local tax emerged as the most connected topic. However, from 2011 to 2024, when the researchers focusing on local tax systems decreased, the most connected topic shifted to intergovernmetal fiscal adjustment. This study suggests future research subjects for KRILA in the field of local finance including region-centered fiscal decentralization, mitigating inter-regional fiscal disparities, responding to population decline and demographic change, integrating local educational finance and adaptation to local administrative system reforms.