Assemblyman Kang Myunggu Criticizes Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries' Public Institutions for Neglecting Innovative Product Purchases

"If Public Institutions Turn Away, Private Sector Expansion Is Impossible... Urgent Need for Measures to Improve Effectiveness"
Average Purchase Rate of Innovative Products by Public Institutions Under the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries Only 0.3% Over the Past Five Years... Four Agencies Recorded 'Zero Purchases'
No Performance Management, Using the Excuse of Being 'Other Public Institutions'

Assemblyman Kang Myunggu of the National Assembly's Agriculture, Food, Rural Affairs, Oceans and Fisheries Committee (People Power Party, Gumi City-eul) conducted a comprehensive analysis of the purchase status of innovative products by public institutions under the jurisdiction of 17 agencies affiliated with the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries over the past five years (2020-2024). The results showed that the average purchase rate was only 0.3%. Among these, four agencies-the National Marine Science Museum, the National Maritime Museum, the Korea Fisheries Resources Agency, and the Korea Fisheries Infrastructure Agency-did not make a single purchase in five years.

As a result of a comprehensive analysis of the purchase status of innovative products by public institutions under the jurisdiction of 17 agencies affiliated with the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries over the past five years (2020-2024) / Photo by Myunggu Kang's office

The government operates an innovative product purchase system that supports products recognized for innovation and public benefit, aiming to improve the quality of public services and promote technological innovation.

Accordingly, public institutions are required to purchase at least 1% of their total procurement by central government agencies and at least 1.7% by other public institutions, as determined by the Procurement Policy Review Committee.

However, the total amount spent on innovative products by the 17 public institutions under the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries over the past five years was only 1.44 billion KRW, with the average purchase amount per institution at just 800 million KRW.

Out of the total 451.88 billion KRW in goods purchased by public institutions under the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, the proportion spent on innovative products was effectively 0.3%, falling far short of the target purchase ratio of 1.7%.

A significant number of public institutions under the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries responded that they were "not subject to management as other public institutions," or did not track their performance separately at all, essentially explaining that the purchases were not mandatory.

Assemblyman Kang Myunggu emphasized, "The government says it will raise the purchase target to 5%, but even the current target of 1.7% is not being met. Unless institutional improvements are made to ensure effectiveness, the higher target will remain an empty slogan."