지역특화발전특구 제도의 쟁점 및 개선방안 연구

The Regional Specialized Development Zone system has been in place for over 20 years since its initial introduction in 2004. However, it continues to operate under the same basic policy framework of designating zones within regions and granting regulatory exemptions. For this system to effectively drive substantive regional development, comprehensive institutional innovation through a systemic approach is required, rather than piecemeal improvements. In this context, diagnosing the achievements and shortcomings of the Regional Specialized Development Special Zones as a crucial system for balanced regional development and exploring practical measures to improve it holds significant importance. Accordingly, this study proposes comprehensive improvement measures for the Regional Specialized Development Special Zones system, including enhancing the budget support system, revising relevant laws and regulations, and strengthening linkages with other systems. Specifically, it derived central government support measures to supplement the inadequate policy infrastructure—organization, personnel, and budget—of local governments, the primary operators of these zones, focusing on fiscal and institutional improvements. It also identified policy implications for discovering market- friendly regulatory exemptions and new private-sector-led industries reflecting recent industrial trends, along with actual legislative amendments. Furthermore, it proposed an electronic performance management system to systematically collect and manage information across the entire lifecycle of each Regional Specialized Development Zone. It also explored restructuring plans for long-term operation zones to enhance the system’s efficiency, along with the design and application of specific performance indicators reflecting each zone’s unique characteristics. Furthermore, it sought ways to establish cooperation and communication systems among central and local government policy stakeholders, research institutions, and private organizations to strengthen the management of Regional Specialized Development Zones. The findings of this study highlight the need to enhance the vitality of special zones by securing new growth engines through the redesign of outdated, menu-style regulatory exemptions, restructuring the management system, and providing budgetary support for revitalization. These results can serve as foundational data for improving existing institutional frameworks, such as refining performance evaluation systems and financial support programs. Specifically, by identifying the limitations of the current system and proposing directions for improvement, it provides empirical evidence for future policy formulation and institutional reform. It can also serve as a basis for designing region-specific policies and projects to counter regional decline. Based on this research, it is expected that accumulating empirical data and case analyses that more clearly support the necessity and effectiveness of future institutional improvements will contribute to establishing a policy foundation for developing differentiated growth strategies reflecting regional characteristics and discovering unique local growth engines.