[Reporter’s Notebook] Regional Universities Pleading "Save Us," Conditions for Success of the Special Zone Experiment

The Yoon Suk-yeol administration has ambitiously selected 41 final pilot areas for the 'Education Development Special Zones' to address the issue of regional extinction. The Education Development Special Zones are policies that comprehensively support public education innovation, local talent cultivation, and settlement within the broader framework of regional development.

University presidents in the selected areas have warmly welcomed the results. One university president from a region confessed, "I am truly grateful that the Ministry of Education is providing support, even if it is just like this." This is understandable, as government support projects are practically a lifeline for local universities facing crises.

The decline in the school-age population has dealt a direct blow to local universities. With tuition increase regulations continuing for 16 years, university finances have long hit their limits. The reason many universities have been pursuing various innovations such as department mergers and no-major systems is essentially for survival.

"The media and government officials, mostly based in Seoul and major metropolitan areas, may find it hard to directly feel this, but the provinces are truly devastated and struggling," said an expert researching regional extinction, conveying the severity of the situation. This is why university presidents are showing a desperate willingness to participate in the Education Special Zone project. They know very well that without attracting people, neither the region nor the universities can survive.

However, the government’s plan still has shortcomings in resolving the crisis faced by local universities. To live up to the name of a special zone (特區), truly special areas should be selected and receive specialized support, but there is a perception that too many areas have been chosen. In fact, northern Gyeonggi and southern Gangwon are almost entirely designated as Education Development Special Zones. For all special zones to succeed, supporting budgets and manpower are necessary. Yet, only the regional lists have been announced twice, and detailed plans regarding necessary legislative amendments and budget sizes have not yet been finalized.

What needs to be done for the Education Special Zone system to land smoothly and actually lead to local talent cultivation and settlement? The success of the special zone experiment is closely related to the willingness of local governments to support and cooperate. The Education Special Zone project is fundamentally based on the autonomy of each local government. This means success depends on the local government’s will and administrative capacity. University presidents are also concerned about this. One local university president lamented, "It is important for local governments to take an interest in attracting school-age populations to the provinces, but there is a possibility they may not actively cooperate."

For the special zone experiment to succeed, above all, the government’s meticulous design connecting local governments, universities, and businesses must be supported. Since the 2000s, Japan has designated a total of 10 special zones nationwide to overcome the so-called 'lost 30 years.' They pursued special zone development tailored to regional characteristics such as agriculture, startups, and tourism innovation to revitalize local areas. In this process, the government made detailed efforts to communicate with the field.

At the time, special zone meetings chaired by the Japanese prime minister included participation from local government heads who requested specific regulatory relaxations. The government’s interest also reached the private sector. In Yabu City, designated as an agricultural special zone, there was a demand for institutional improvements such as lifting legal regulations related to private lodging brokerage companies, which the government accepted.

For the special zone experiment to succeed, practical actions that address specific needs beyond just regional designation and the government’s detailed policy design efforts must follow. Whether the Education Special Zones can become the 'Noah’s Ark' in the storm of regional extinction depends on the government.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.