Hansumwon-Korean Local Autonomy Association Join Hands to Build Sustainable Self-Reliant Island Model

Measures to Revitalize Island Tourism in Response to 'Local Decentralization and Local Extinction'

The Korea Island Development Institute and the Korean Association for Local Government Studies are joining forces to build a sustainable self-reliant island model.

The Korea Island Development Institute (KIDI, President Oh Dong-ho) announced on the 24th that it signed a memorandum of understanding with the Korean Association for Local Government Studies (President Jeon Gwang-seop) at a small conference room in the National Assembly Library.

This memorandum of understanding aims to strengthen cooperation between KIDI, which is leading the national island policy in response to the crisis of local extinction, and the Korean Association for Local Government Studies, which emphasizes the importance of local autonomy.

Both organizations plan to jointly research and promote various policy tasks to enhance the autonomy of islands and local governments and to develop local communities.

They also agreed to identify problems in regions facing the crisis of local extinction and to collaboratively consider and research policy tasks to resolve these issues.

The main research topics include ways to establish a sustainable self-reliant island model and strategic measures to revitalize regional tourism.

Additionally, they will form a shared understanding of the local extinction crisis and derive solutions that meet the demands of local autonomy through policy research.

Through this, it is expected that they will achieve results in overcoming the local extinction crisis and realizing sustainable development of local communities.

Following the signing of the memorandum, KIDI participated in the Korean Association for Local Government Studies’ National Assembly seminar and presented measures to revitalize island tourism as a response to local decentralization and the local extinction crisis.

In particular, they proposed ▲ resetting policy perspectives and supplementing systems, ▲ fostering and managing stay-type island tourism, and ▲ discovering customized programs tailored to the characteristics and demands of tourists.

Oh Dong-ho, President of KIDI, stated, “We must recognize the uniqueness of islands and respect their rights to ensure that islands do not suffer disadvantages.” He added, “Islands that need preservation should be strictly protected, but excessive regulations elsewhere should be eased to transform islands into ‘islands where residents want to live’ and ‘islands tourists want to visit.’”

He continued, “Through this memorandum of understanding, we expect to strengthen cooperation with the Association for Local Government Studies and to more effectively establish and implement policies responding to the local extinction crisis.”