Rose 2 Steps from 22nd in 2019... Government Trust Soars from 39% to 45%
Surpassing Major Countries like Japan, France, and the United States
[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] South Korea ranked 20th among 37 member countries in the government trust survey released by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). This is a two-step rise compared to the previous survey in 2019, maintaining an upward trend since 2017.
On the 9th, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety announced this result in the 'Government at a Glance 2021' report, which contains the results of the 2020 government trust survey conducted by the OECD targeting 37 member countries.
'Government at a Glance' is a report published biennially by the OECD to provide international comparative data on the performance of governments and the public sector in member countries. Government trust is measured by the 'World Gallup Poll,' commissioned by the OECD, which asks 1,000 citizens in each surveyed country, "Do you have confidence in national government?" and calculates the percentage of respondents who answer "yes."
According to the newly released data, South Korea's government trust rate was 45%, entering the 40% range for the first time since the survey began in 2007. Since 2011, the OECD has published government trust survey results through the 'Government at a Glance' reports.
South Korea's government trust rates have been 24% in 2007, 27% in 2011, 23% in 2013, 34% in 2015, 24% in 2017, and 39% in 2019. Notably, government trust, which was ranked low at 24% (32nd place) in 2017, continuously rose to 39% (22nd place) in 2019. Compared to 2017, trust increased by 21 percentage points to 45%, and the ranking improved by 12 steps to 20th place.
According to this survey, South Korea's government trust rate surpassed major OECD countries such as Japan (42%, 23rd), France (41%, 26th), and the United States (35%, 32nd). The OECD analyzed that the increase in government trust among member countries in this survey may be due to a 'rallying around the flag' effect during the national crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Meanwhile, the average government trust rate among all OECD member countries was 50.7%, with Switzerland ranking first at 85%. Norway (83%) and Finland (81%) followed.
Professor Lee Tae-joon of the KDI School of Public Policy and Management, who conducted joint research on government trust with the OECD in 2018, analyzed, "The achievements of government innovation through cooperation between the public and government during the COVID-19 crisis management process can be seen as converging into social capital called 'government trust.' This suggests that Korean-style government innovation, focusing on transparency, participation, and communication, is strengthening the trust assets of Korean society."
Minister Jeon Hae-cheol said, "Since trust in the government is not built overnight, we will steadily promote government innovation to restore daily life and leap forward as a leading country in the post-COVID era."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
