Policy shaped under pressure: Internationalization, decentralization, and policy adoption of local governments

What leads local governments to adopt a particular policy? This article examines the diffusion of internationalization ordinances enacted by Korean local governments from 1989 to 2016. Since decentralization in 1995, Korean local governments have become autonomous actors that can introduce policies of their own. Employing event history analysis, this study reveals that, in adopting internationalization ordinances, Korean local governments face multiple pressures, including central government intervention, the behavior of other local governments, and their own capacity and policy requirements. Policymaking that is directed by the central government, however, is characterized by weaker effects and a shorter lifespan. Local autonomy is key to successful local governance in a decentralized regime.