"Local Regions Not Waiting for the Center"... Kwon Baeksin's 31 Prescriptions Find Answers in the Field

Regional-Led Development Model Proposed at Book Concert
"Solutions Must Begin in Local Areas"

A policy book offering concrete solutions based on field experience to address the structural crisis of regional extinction has been introduced to readers.

Kwon Baeksin, former CEO of Korail Tourism Development, published a book titled "31 Vaccine Prescriptions to Revitalize Local Areas," and held a publication commemorative book concert on January 9.

Regional-Led Strategy Proposing Independence from Central Dependence "Local Areas Should Create Solutions First, and the Central Government Must Respond Institutionally" Photo by Byunggeon Kwon

This event broke away from the conventional format of publication ceremonies, instead taking the form of a participatory book concert where participants diagnosed the realities of local areas and explored alternatives using the book as a medium.

Rather than a one-sided lecture by the author, the event centered on Q&A and discussion with attendees, and has been evaluated as reframing regional extinction from a "policy discourse" to an everyday issue.

The book fully reflects the author's background, which spans experience in the central government, public institutions, and local fieldwork.

The insights accumulated through public institution management, policy advisory roles, and hands-on regional development have been organized from multiple perspectives: policy, industry, jobs, culture, and community. Notably, as the term "prescription" suggests, the book focuses not on declarative slogans but on policy proposals that can be immediately applied in the field.

The 31 vaccine prescriptions presented in the book directly address chronic challenges faced by local areas, such as the outflow of young people and population decline, industrial hollowing-out, weakened cultural and tourism competitiveness, and a centrally dependent fiscal structure. By translating the limitations experienced across the boundaries of administration, politics, public and private sectors into the language of citizens, the book is structured as a policy text that is also easy to read.

The latter part of the book presents a more multidimensional direction for regional development strategies.

Key points include: transforming into cities where young people settle; restructuring the local ecosystem around the axes of job, life, and community; fostering new growth economies based on hemp, bio, and knowledge industries; building an industrial landscape that combines tradition with innovation; advancing as global cultural and tourism cities; and developing convergence models of Confucian culture, traditional culture, and ecological resources. These are all focused on medium- to long-term structural improvements rather than short-term achievements.

At the book concert, Kwon emphasized, "The problems of local areas can no longer be solved by waiting for answers from the central government," and stated, "A 'Jultakdongsi' approach, where local areas create solutions first and the central government responds institutionally, is needed." This was a call to shift from uniform, centrally driven policies to a regional-led development model.

Regarding the role of local government heads, he said, "A local government head should not be just an administrative manager, but a 'policy salesperson' who is the first to explain and persuade others of the region's potential," adding, "Policy understanding and strategic collaboration with the central government are directly linked to regional competitiveness."

Kwon also stated, "This book goes beyond strategies for a specific region and presents a redesign of perspectives needed for all Korean localities to regain self-reliance. I hope that the search for Andong's path will serve as a small compass for opening a new era for local regions."

Although there is an abundance of discussion regarding regional extinction, it is rare to find a single volume that organizes immediately actionable solutions from the field. This book concert is noteworthy for moving beyond merely raising issues, by presenting a policy language that local areas can use to plan and implement their own solutions.

There is growing interest in whether this proposal-that local areas should create answers first rather than waiting for the attention of the central government-can elevate the discourse on the "era of local regions" from declaration to practical implementation.

Solving Regional Extinction in 'Policy Language' Kwon Baeksin, Former CEO of Korail Tourism Development, Holds Book Concert for '31 Vaccine Prescriptions' Publication. Photo by Kwon Byunggun