The capacities of local government in early response to Covid 19: Evidence from South Korea

IMPACT

The pressure on local governments to address complex local issues is increasing worldwide. In emergencies like the Covid 19 pandemic, the role of local governments as primary on-site responders is essential. Focusing on the Covid 19 responses of South Korean local governments, the authors found that the relative importance of local leader’s capabilities and local infrastructure varies across early disaster response phases. In the short to medium term, when quick decision-making is needed, the capabilities of local leaders are critical. In contrast, during the long term, local infrastructure plays a greater role in managing prolonged crises.

ABSTRACT

Prior analyses of South Korea's Covid 19 response have often focused on the central government rather than local governments. This article analyses data from 200 local governments looking at the importance of local leaders and infrastructure in the early phases of the pandemic. Notably, the educational background of local leaders had an impact on the management of the crisis. These findings underscore the applicability of the upper echelons theory to South Korean local governments, demonstrating that the quality of leadership significantly impacts local performance. In times of crisis, the decisions made by local leaders are deeply intertwined with their personal capabilities.

KEYWORDS:

• Covid 19 response
• educational background
• government capacity
• infrastructure
• local government
• South Korea

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Dong-A University research fund.

Notes on contributors

Kee Hoon Chung

Kee Hoon Chung is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Public Administration at the University of Ulsan, South Korea. His main research focuses on comparative governance, organizational behaviour, informal institutions and human resource management.

DaEun Kim

DaEun Kim is an Assistant Professor in the College of Seokdang Honors at the DONG-A University, South Korea. Her research interests include bureaucracy, governance, policy instrument.

Dong Chul Shim

Dong Chul Shim is currently a Professor at the Department of Public Administration at the Korea University, South Korea. His research interests include public service motivation, public service value, leadership and organizational citizenship behaviour.