지방자치단체 남북교류협력기금 활용방안 연구- 전북특별자치도를 중심으로 -

Abstract

The Inter-Korea Exchanges and Cooperation Fund is a special fund operated by local governments to promote exchanges and cooperation between North and South Korea and to lay the groundwork for peaceful unification. This fund plays a crucial role in enhancing inter-Korean relations, and as of 2024, it is being utilized by 15 of South Korea’s 17 metropolitan governments. However, prior studies indicate that due to the impact of international relations and the state of inter-Korean relations, local governments have been underutilizing the Inter-Korea Exchanges and Cooperation Fund. In this study, we aim to derive improvements for the utilization of the Inter-Korea Exchanges and Cooperation Fund in Jeonbuk State by comparing and analyzing the general accounts, financial independence levels, fund status, and fund establishment status of the 17 metropolitan governments, as well as their project execution rates. Analysis of the Inter-Korea Exchanges and Cooperation Fund showed that Jeonbuk State has relatively limited general accounts and the lowest financial independence among the provinces. While Jeonbuk State ranks fourth in terms of the size of its Inter-Korea Exchanges and Cooperation Fund among the 17 metropolitan governments, its project execution rate stands at 0%, indicating a need for improvement. Furthermore, the fact that mostly one-time projects are being implemented suggests a lack of sustainable inter-Korea exchanges projects within Jeonbuk State As a result, the study proposes that Jeonbuk State should assess the continuation of the Inter-Korea Exchanges and Cooperation Fund and explore customized inter-Korean cooperation projects tailored to local characteristics. If maintaining the fund is challenging, we also suggest reducing the scale of the fund or opting to hold funds on reserve, offering these as potential solutions to support Jeonbuk's fiscal soundness.