Appointment of Agency Heads under Moon Administration Rated 'C' by Anti-Corruption and Broadcasting Commissions, Economic Ministries Rated 'B'

2022 Government Performance Evaluation Results Announced
Ministries of Economy and Industry Remain at B Grade After Downgrade
"Innovation Efforts Needed Tangible Results for A Grade"
Ministry of Interior Maintains B Despite Itaewon Tragedy Responsibility

[Asia Economy Sejong=Reporter Song Seung-seop] The Ministry of Economy and Finance, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, and the Financial Services Commission, among other economic-related ministries, failed to be selected as excellent institutions in the 2022 performance evaluation. The main reason is that despite various regulatory reform efforts, they failed to produce results that the public could feel. The National Police Agency, which faced internal strife over the controversy of establishing the Police Bureau and is held responsible for the Itaewon disaster, received a C grade, while the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, the supervising ministry, maintained a B grade despite being held accountable.

According to the “2022 Government Performance Evaluation Results” reported by the Office for Government Policy Coordination at the Cabinet meeting presided over by the President on the 7th, among 45 central administrative agencies, the Ministry of Science and ICT, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, the Ministry of Environment, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, and the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs received an A grade, corresponding to overall institutional excellence. Vice-ministerial level agencies selected as excellent institutions included the Ministry of Government Legislation, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration, the Rural Development Administration, the Korea Forest Service, and the Korea Meteorological Administration.

The government performance evaluation is an annual report card for government ministries announced early each year, classified into A, B, and C grades. Out of 100 points, the major policy sector accounts for 50 points, the largest portion. Regulatory innovation (20 points), government innovation (10 points), and policy communication (20 points) are also evaluation targets. There is an additional 3 points for proactive administration.

The key economic ministries, the Ministry of Economy and Finance and the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, remained at a B grade again after being downgraded one level to B in 2021. In 2021, the Ministry of Economy and Finance led supplementary budgets four times but received a lower-than-expected score due to tax revenue forecast errors amounting to 60 trillion won. The Financial Services Commission, the financial control tower, rose one grade from C in the previous year but was not selected as an excellent institution. It appears that receiving a C grade in the government innovation sector influenced this outcome.

An official from the Office for Government Policy Coordination said, “When the evaluation team assigns grades, they do not only look at efforts but also whether those efforts led to actual results,” and explained, “The Ministry of Economy and Finance worked hard, but since our country and people’s livelihoods are still difficult, it did not receive an A grade, and the same applies to other economic and financial departments such as the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.”

However, in the case of the Ministry of Environment, its internally most radical regulatory relaxation was greatly considered. Despite being a regulatory ministry, aligning with the government’s policy direction was a decisive factor in its selection for an A grade. In August last year, the Ministry of Environment announced a shift to “negative regulation,” which allows everything except what is prohibited, through the “Environmental Regulation Innovation Plan.” Uniform regulations were changed to differentiated regulations proportional to risk, and command-and-order type regulations were converted to interactive communication and consultation type regulations.

The National Police Agency received a failing grade of C. Last year, internal conflicts intensified over the issue of launching a “Police Bureau” within the Ministry of the Interior and Safety. At the end of the year, the Itaewon disaster occurred, leading to significant criticism for failing in public safety and protection. Baek Il-hyun, head of the government performance evaluation office at the Office for Government Policy Coordination, said, “The pre- and post-response to the Itaewon accident and various suspicions influenced the low score,” and evaluated, “As criticism from the National Assembly and the media continued to be raised, public trust declined.”

On the other hand, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety maintained a B grade. Since it is the supervising ministry of the National Police Agency, it shares responsibility for the same issue but received a higher score by one level. Director Baek said, “The ministry evaluation assesses various policies being promoted,” and added, “Although the Ministry of the Interior and Safety received a poor evaluation in disaster safety policy tasks, it enhanced government operation efficiency by promoting the digital platform government and streamlining unnecessary committees.”

The Korea Communications Commission and the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission, whose heads were appointed during President Moon’s administration, received C grades. Chairman Han Sang-hyuk of the Korea Communications Commission took office in September 2019, and Jeon Hyun-hee of the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission in June 2020. There has been much criticism within the ruling party that their positions should be reconsidered as the administration has changed.

The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, which President Yoon Seok-yeol pledged to abolish, also received a C grade.