문화기반 도시와 지역활성화의 세계적 흐름과 한국과 일본의 대응 방안 연구

This study aims to examine the global development trends of culture-based urban policies and to explore future directions for the advancement of a Korean-style cultural city policy through a comparative analysis of cultural city initiatives in Korea and Japan. The findings reveal that cultural city policies have evolved beyond a mere domain of cultural administration to become strategic urban policies that perform multiple functions, including urban regeneration, regional economic revitalization, social integration, and citizen empowerment. Notably, both European and Japanese cases demonstrate that culture serves as a key driver of urban competitiveness, while autonomous civic participation and the reinforcement of local cultural identity constitute the core momentum behind successful policy implementation. In the case of Korea, although an institutional framework has been established through the National Cultural City Program, structural limitations persist—such as centralized management, tokenized civic engagement, and a short-term project orientation. Therefore, the development of a Korean-style cultural city requires a paradigm shift toward an inclusive urban strategy based on a cultural ecosystem. By referencing global experiences, Korea should construct a citizen-centered, decentralized, and culture-economy integrated model of cultural city policy. In this direction, the cultural city can function not merely as a policy initiative but as a cultural platform and a strategic axis for building a sustainable and future-oriented society.