KJCKorea
Journal Central

This study analyzes the structural limitations of the Glocal University 30 initiative and suggests strategies to improve its sustainability and policy coherence. Introduced as a national response to the declining school age population and the overconcentration of educational resources in the Seoul metropolitan area, the program has contributed to stabilizing regional universities and stimulating innovation. However, persistent challenges remain, including limited long term sustainability, regional imbalance, weak performance evaluation, and fragmented policy governance. Drawing on literature review and policy document analysis, the study identifies six key areas for reform: (1) ensure stable and timely budget distribution with partial pre allocation to prevent administrative delays; (2) expand regional innovation opportunities by extending the Special Account for Higher and Lifelong Education and restructuring the RISE framework; (3) strengthen interconnectivity between the Glocal University 30 and RISE systems to foster a cohesive regional innovation ecosystem; (4) recalibrate project goals and evaluation criteria to reflect institutional diversity and local conditions; (5) refine regional impact (IMPACT) indicators to measure universities’ social contributions and policy effectiveness; and (6) institutionalize local government participation and establish a robust legal foundation for long term sustainability. Ultimately, this study redefines Glocal University 30 as a transformative, sustainable higher education policy that integrates central, local, and university governance to promote balanced regional innovation and enduring educational competitiveness.

This study examines Kangwon National University’s (KNU) transformation strategy amid the digital and AI driven era. Facing technological disruption and a declining school age population, KNU pursues Korea’s first “One Province, One National University” through integration with GangneungWonju National University. To ensure sustainability, KNU has developed a four campus specialization model: Chuncheon (humanities and research), Samcheok (energy), Gangneung (marine and biological sciences), and Wonju (semiconductors and emobility). This regionally linked structure fosters geo industrial academic cooperation and balanced development. Emphasizing the Chuncheon Campus as a hub for humanities and foundational research, KNU seeks to harmonize global competitiveness with local identity, positioning itself as a leading glocal university for the digital age.

This study reinterprets the cultural history of Lee Sung Dang, a bakery in Gunsan, through the lens of glocalization, challenging its simplistic image as “Korea’s oldest bakery.” Rather than a direct continuation of the Japanese colonial era Izumoya, its true origin lies in a rupture after Korea’s liberation, marked by a lack of capital and technology. Through local collaboration, technological bricolage using rice flour, and the creation of an “invented tradition” embodied in its vegetable bread, Lee Sung Dang established a unique locality. Media amplification of its “oldest bakery” narrative elevated it to national status, while its dual glocal strategy—anchoring authenticity in Gunsan and expanding urban branches—fostered mutual reinforcement between local identity and national fame. The case exemplifies glocalization as a creative reconstruction process where local resilience transforms historical discontinuity into cultural universality.