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The conventional wisdom of policy-makers and regional planners is that small-medium-sized cities play an essential role as regional service centers in rural hinterland development. The revitalization of the small-medium-sized cities production and institutional structure not only contributes directly to rural and regional development, but is even seen as a necessary condition. In this study the definition of the small- medium-sized cities is prescribed as the city with population between 50,000 and 300,000 persons. In addition, those of the capital region and Jeju island are excluded. There are 36 small-medium-sized cities accommodating 6.9 million persons in the year of 2000.
The purposes of this study are as follows: 1) to make a contribution to the balanced national territory development through self-supporting localization; 2) to explore various alternatives for strengthening the function of small-medium-sized cities; 3) to propose policy alternatives for the role of small-medium-sized cities in nodal point functions between large cities and rural vicinity areas.
For solving the shown above purposes firstly, this study tries to analyze changing processes and actual conditions in the national settlements system. Secondly, it examines the definition, functions and roles of the small-medium-sized cities. Thirdly, it investigates the characteristics of the classified small-medium-sized cities through the analysis both of growth factors and of regional disparities. Fourthly, it examines various case studies of overseas policies and draws implications for Korean cases. Finally, through the questionnaire survey it proposes revitalization strategies composed of strengthening the internal competitiveness strategy and constructing the cooperative systems between urban
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A Study on the Revitalization Strategy of Local Small-Medium-sized Cities
지방중소도시 활성화 방안 연구 Jung-Chuel Shin, Eui-Sik Kim, Hyung-Jin Kim RR 2004-23․December 2004․115 pages․Korean
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From 1990 to 2000, the shift of population changes in small-medium-sized cities shows slight increase compared to rapidly decreasing rural regions. The population share of small-medium-sized cities has increased from 14.5 percents in 1990 to 15.0 percents in 2000. However, some cities are increased, others are decreased in accordance with both the distance from the Capital Region and the impact of regional metropolitan cities. The age index of small-medium-sized cities, which represents the ratio of population older than 65, shows 10.4 percents rather than 7.3 percents in national total. Also, percent of population with college degree shows 6.7 in small-medium-sized cities. Among 7 provinces Gangwon-Do shows 8.4 percents, while Chungcheongnam-Do does 5.5 percents.
The questionnaire survey on general public and specified professional group was carried out. Four groups are targeted. As a general public group, 100 enterprisers in small-medium-sized cities are participated. Specified professional group is composed of 75 professors, 55 researchers, and 180 government officials in small-medium-sized cities.
Structured questionnaire which consists of 16 questions is utilized through telephone, e-mail, and fax system for the total 410 individuals. Some implications from this survey for the revitalization strategy of local small-medium-sized cities are such as tax support for inviting the establishment of industries, cooperation between local universities and private industries, and participation of private enterprises for local development.
In order to learn from successful stories from advanced countries, various kinds of case studies for the revitalization of small-medium-sized cities of Japan, the United Kingdom, and the US governments are adopted. Small town development programs of Japan through the 3rd, 4th, 5th Japanese national territorial development plan provide useful lessons for us. The enterprise zones program of the U.K. furnishes a lot of fruitful implications such as tax reduction policy, relaxation of restriction, and prompt action of administrative procedures. The empowerment zones program of the U.S. also offers various kinds of informations such as population size and spatial scope of the zones, revitalization policy for the declined area, and social, economical side-effects. The
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common implication of three countries emphasizes on the local government initiatives and leadership.
In the conclusion part, this study proposes two kinds of revitalization strategies for local small-medium-sized cities. The one is the strategy of strengthening for internal competitive capability. The other is the one of construction for inter-city network system.
The first one is composed of four detailed strategies; 1) the revitalization of regional domestic economy, 2) the revitalization of culture and tourism activity, 3) the revitalization of cooperation between public and private sector, 4) the revitalization of regional community potentials. The second one consists of three detailed strategies; 1) the region-wide linkage between urban towns and rural communities, 2) the functional distinction and linkage in inter-city network, 3) the promotion of competitiveness system among towns and communities.
