New Budget Office Chief Launches First of 10 Annual 'Budget Forums' Just 8 Days After Appointment

Health, Welfare, Employment, R&D, Industry, SMEs, and Energy
"Growing into a 'Budget Learning Platform' Reflecting Industry Voices"
Innovation Emphasis by Director Choi Sang-dae: "The Budget Office Will Become a 'Learning Organization'"

Choi Sang-dae, Director of the Budget Office, Ministry of Economy and Finance. (Photo by Ministry of Economy and Finance)

[Sejong=Asia Economy Reporter Moon Chaeseok] The government has decided to create a platform to listen to and discuss the budget status, issues, and industry voices in key areas such as health, welfare, employment, and research and development (R&D). They have planned to regularize the platform with the goal of holding it 10 times a year. This comes just eight days after Choi Sang-dae, the budget chief who has consistently emphasized fiscal innovation, took office on the 8th.

The Ministry of Economy and Finance’s Budget Office announced on the morning of the 16th that it held the 1st Collective Budget Intelligence (C2B) Forum at the Ministry’s international conference room. The lecture, held under the theme of "Fiscal Structure and Fiscal Management Direction," featured speakers including Kim Jeong-hoon, Director of the Fiscal Policy Research Institute, Jeong Chang-soo, Director of the National Budget Research Institute, and Park Sang-woo, Budget General Affairs Officer at the Ministry of Economy and Finance.

The Budget Office judged that the role of the national budget is becoming more important in actively responding to rapid social changes such as digitalization, the post-COVID-19 era, and the transition to a carbon-neutral society to address climate change. They reflected that budget officials had few opportunities to encounter external perspectives due to urgent issues such as supplementary budget responses. There was also a high demand for internal staff learning due to personnel changes.

Director Choi emphasized, "Structural changes across society in the post-COVID-19 era are expected to accelerate," adding, "To respond to this, the budget needs to organically collaborate and support multiple fields centered on key agendas such as future innovation and inclusive growth."

Notably, the forum is not a one-time event but is planned to be regularized with the goal of holding it 10 times a year. The forum aims to establish itself as a 'budget sector learning platform' to discuss the budget status and issues in major fields such as health, welfare, employment, R&D, industry, small and medium enterprises, and energy, as well as voices from the field.

Director Choi stressed, "Budget officials need to cultivate a comprehensive 'policy mindset' not only about their own work but also across all fields including society, economy, culture, and arts to properly understand social issues and establish effective budget management plans." He also requested, "I hope the Budget Office will use this forum as an opportunity to become a 'learning organization' and continue to strengthen communication with experts in various fields."

At this forum, Officer Park, who oversaw the supplementary budgets for COVID-19 response five times last year and this year, introduced the budget structure and major issues of the 12 budget sectors. Directors Kim and Jeong introduced key domestic and international factors to consider regarding next year’s fiscal management direction. Budget officials also attended and freely discussed related topics.