In this study we seek to explore ways to develop the administrative-fiscal infrastructure needed for enhancing the importance of regional human resource development and vitalizing human resource development in close connection with the national human resource development master plan. In particular we seek to analyze closely the dynamics among the various regional human resource development entities including municipal and provincial governments, school boards, regional labor offices, universities and the Office of Small & Medium Industries. Furthermore, we seek to develop a suitable human resource development execution model that is suitable to local conditions through monitoring of the sample projects by the Ministry of Education & Human Resources Development (MOEHRD), as well as to present a methodology for the model application in human resource development policies of other regions.
MOEHRD selected a few localities among the large municipalities and provinces for its pilot project in order to develop a suitable execution model which would be suitable to local conditions. The intent of this pilot project was to establish a voluntary human resource development model by local units in response to the national level human resource development system.
Some of the problems identified in the master plans of the pilot project localities including Busan Municipal Government, Gwangju Municipal Government and Chungcheongbuk-do Province, include problems in the areas of human resource training and supply system in the case of Busan, which lacked professional manpower for local renovation, professional service manpower, and proper cooperation network linking industry-academia-government-R&D. In the case of Gwangju, problems included lack of competitive manpower quality, weak connectivity with local industries, and poor cooperative network among human resource development related organizations. In the case of Chungcheongbuk-do, problems turned out to include lack of higher quality manpower training system, weak connectivity with local industries and lack of R&D manpower.
In the areas of manpower needs and utilization structure, Busan had problems such as primitiveness in the system to develop and utilize small business manpower capability, exodus of local human resource and lack of local talents. In the case of Gwangju, problems were in inconsistency between training system and labor market structures, exodus of local human resource and poor utilization of female resource. Problems of Chungcheongbuk-do also included inconsistency between training system and labor market structures, serious exodus of local human resource, low utilization of female and youth resources, and poor connectivity between the strategic industries and higher professional resources.
In the area of human resource infrastructure, Busan had problems such as poor network for local renovation, absence of proper office in charge of local human resource development, absence of proper office in charge of female human resource development, poor human resource developmentof the handicapped and the aged, and absence of local integrated human resource information system. In the case of Gwangju, problems were poor human resource information system infrastructure and weak policy execution organization for local human resource development. In the case of Chungcheongbuk-do, problems include poor educational and cultural facilities, poor information processing infrastructure, lack of information dissemination system development, and low commercialization of information output.
Problems in the human resource development master plans of these three pilot project regions were lack of proper human resource development planning procedure, poor human resource development policy execution organization, and weakness in securing fiscal resources and budget utilization for local human resource development.
The suggested solution to resolving the problems identified in these pilot projects towards vitalizing local human resource development is to develop the local administrative-fiscal infrastructure for local human resource development. Concrete measures for this solution can be explored in the areas of improving the system for local human resource development, reorganizing the local human resource development administrative structures, and securing fiscal resources for stage-wise local human resource development.
In the area of system improvements, firstly we need to establish stage-wise execution strategy for local human resource development. Secondly, we need to establish and utilize useful partnership structure among individual entities.
As for the human resource development administrative restructuring, firstly we need to assign the overall management and control function to the local government. Through this measure we can expect to develop a comprehensive and systematic local human resource development system. Secondly, we need to form a partnership structure for local human resource development.
Through this organization shall review and decide human resource development policies of the locality. Thirdly, we need to strengthen the connectivity between the national and the local level human resource development functions. There needs to be regular human resource development meetings between the minister of MOE and heads of local governments to strengthen this connectivity.
Measures for securing the fiscal resources for different stages of local human resource development include, firstly, restructuring of the tax system; secondly, active efforts by local industries to host major events; and thirdly, special accounting for balanced national development.
As for policy recommendation, the importance of administrative-fiscal infrastructure for local human resource development has been significantly increased since the discussion on human resource development was initiated. Horizontal cooperation among local governments for local human resource development is essential for mature growth of local autonomy. Securing of local fiscal resources for local human resource development can be realized through self-help efforts of local governments as well as active fiscal support from the central government.
In these respects this study analyzed problems in the Korean local human resource development and explored improvement measures. Thus, we present the following policy recommendations for establishing the administrative-fiscal infrastructure for local human resource development:
First, local governments need to redefine the economic and social objectives within their local human resource development master plan in order to improve the operational efficiency of local human resource development process and to enhance the practicality of local policies. Also, a master plan should be developed with full consistency among its components such as the objective, goals, policies, procedure, execution plans and budget requirements.
Secondly, each locality should nurture the cooperative culture for local human resource development through voluntary partnership structure, such as a so-called "Local Human Resources Development Consultative Body,"which could actively discuss common issues and specific action plans for smooth human resource development.
Thirdly, systems that are related to local human resource development should be restructured to ensure connectivity.
Fourthly, the central government and the local governments need to develop cost sharing structure and the local human resource development entities need to devise reasonable fiscal burden sharing plan in order to secure the needed fiscal resources for effective local human resource development.