한국지방행정연구원

This study aims to diagnose and classify the level of digital transformation (DX) among local governments through a multidimensional assessment and to design effective implementation strategies tailored to each type. Although DX in the public sector has been primarily led by the central government, local governments have also pursued related policies with considerable effort. However, these initiatives remain largely independent and fragmented, resulting in limited coordination with central agencies, other local governments, and relevant stakeholders. Differences in DX capacity across jurisdictions may also lead to disparities in the quality of public services depending on the region. The findings of this study can support the central government in designing tailored support policies, while enabling local governments to assess their current status and establish more realistic and actionable DX strategies.
Digital transformation is not simply the introduction and application of technology but an administrative innovation process that enhances organizational competitiveness, effectiveness, and efficiency. Its realization requires the alignment of technological transformation (TT)—the systematic integration of digital technologies—and behavioral transformation (BT)—the psychological and behavioral changes observed in employees and residents during technology adoption. This study assesses the level of DX across local governments from the combined perspectives of TT and BT.
Based on a review of existing studies, this research identifies four TT domains—data management and utilization, AI/automation, security and privacy, and smart governance—consisting of eleven sub-indicators. For BT, separate indicators were developed for public employees and residents: eleven indicators related to employees’ digital technology acceptance, perception, and organizational learning and innovation culture, and three indicators measuring residents’ digital adoption. The analysis covers 17 metropolitan governments, using 2025 as the primary reference year with supplemental data from 2022 to 2024 as needed.
The empirical results show substantial variation in TT performance, ranging from 29.1 to 78.7 out of 90. While data openness and standardization are becoming more established, big data analytics remains underutilized, and significant gaps persist in building data governance systems, including data linkage and sharing. The findings suggest that disparities are particularly pronounced in advanced technologies such as big data and AI, highlighting the need for differentiated regional support, specialized personnel, and financial resources rather than uniform policy application. Meanwhile, BT indicators reveal high levels of digital literacy and willingness to adopt new technologies among public officials, yet insufficient leadership and policy support to institutionalize these changes result in bottlenecks that hinder their absorption at the organizational level.
Using TT and BT as two axes, the study derives four types of local government DX profiles. The first quadrant represents “Digital Transformation Leaders,” with high TT and BT, including Seoul, Gyeonggi, and Jeju, where institutional, financial, technological, governance, capacity, and collaborative networks are well integrated. However, data fragmentation reduces usability for private-sector applications, indicating a need to strengthen integration and collaborative culture. The second quadrant, “Participation-Driven Innovators,” includes Gyeongnam, Daegu, Ulsan, Jeonbuk, Chungnam, and Chungbuk, where behavioral capabilities supported by legal and financial bases are strong, but technological capacity and resources are insufficient to translate efforts into tangible outcomes. The third quadrant, “Latent/Emerging Developers,” includes Gangwon, Gwangju, Gyeongbuk, Daejeon, and Jeonnam, which show low TT and BT. This group exhibits legal and practical attempts to apply technology and to coordinate with basic local governments; however, the interaction of multiple limiting factors suggests the need for multidimensional structural support. The fourth quadrant, “Technology-Driven Municipalities,” includes Incheon, Busan, and Sejong, where the technological foundation is relatively strong, but acceptance among public officials and organizational culture remain weak. Their key challenge is addressing misalignment between technology and behavior and improving governance structures.
This study also analyzes the success factors and barriers for each DX type across seven domains: legal and institutional frameworks, finance, technology, governance, education and capacity building, information and communication, and cooperation networks. Digital Transformation Leaders (H–H) benefit from ordinance enactment, data and AI infrastructure, sufficient budgets, public–private cooperation, talent development, and metropolitan MOUs, but face limitations such as data fragmentation and delays in data quality management. Participation-Driven Innovators (L–H) show strengths in legal foundations and national funding, but insufficient technological capacity and resources limit their performance. Latent/Emerging Developers (L–L) benefit from legal frameworks, practical application, and linkage with basic governments; however, negative interactions among factors indicate the need for structural support. Technology-Driven Municipalities (H–L) possess strong technological infrastructure but weak organizational buy-in and field-level utilization, highlighting the need for strategy to align technological and behavioral change.
Based on the results, this study proposes type-specific strategic pathways. Digital Transformation Leaders should advance data-driven decision-making systems, promote AI-enabled administrative innovation, establish trust-based digital governance, and strengthen digital inclusion and capacity building. Participation-Driven Innovators should build data-driven decision-making systems, adopt AI packages in stages, institutionalize trust-based digital governance, promote participatory smart governance, and enhance digital competencies. Technology-Driven Municipalities need organizational culture innovation and change management, automation and workflow redesign, resident-centered service redesign, joint security monitoring systems linking central, local, and private actors, performance management systems emphasizing behavioral change, and institutionalization of AI ethics and accountability frameworks. Latent/Emerging Developers should begin with enhancing basic infrastructure and human resources, establish data management systems, and gradually transition to an inclusive digital society.