A Study on the Role of Identity in Sustainable Development of Local City: Focusing on the Reinterpretation of the Samcheok International Cave Expo 2002

(Purpose) Sustainable development has been defined as development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. The purpose of this study is to verify through real cases what strategies are applied and utilized for sustainable development in the crisis situations that local cities are facing such as population decline, aging, and urban extinction etc. (Design/methodology/approach) This study was conducted based on a qualitative methodology. And this study empirically analyzed the case of 2002 Samcheok International Cave Expo in order to reinterpret how the mega-event held in a small town in Samcheok in 2002, 20 years ago, had an effect on the sustainable development of the local city. (Findings) For the sustainable development of a local city, a development strategy must be derived based on the unique identity of the region, and the active support and participation of local residents is of utmost importance. Sustainable development of a local city is only possible through an integrated management system involving global, national and regional concerns and efforts, not simply through the role of specific social units. Lastly, future sustainable development a local city must be made on the basis of a future-oriented society, and it is desirable to develop and implement continuous programs that can promote the joint participation of local communities. (Research implications or Originality) This Findings imply that regional identity-based development strategies can be the key to the sustainable development of local cities in the current crisis situations such as population decline and urban extinction.