President Lee Jae-myung Orders Civil Service Revitalization: A Reform Roadmap for Proactive Governance (July 24, 2025)
President Lee Jae-myung Orders Civil Service Revitalization: A Reform Roadmap for Proactive Governance (July 24, 2025)
📌 Overview
On July 24, 2025, during a senior aides’ meeting, President Lee Jae-myung emphasized the need to revitalize Korea’s civil service by eliminating outdated systems and encouraging creative, proactive governance. He outlined five key reforms aimed at breaking the cycle of administrative stagnation and reinforcing public officials’ commitment to innovation and public service.
🔍 Background and Context
Korea's civil service has long suffered from excessive post-government audits and legal scrutiny, often paralyzing public officials and deterring initiative. President Lee pointed out that following regime changes, necessary administrative actions have frequently been caught in political crossfire, reinforcing a passive culture among civil servants.
🛠️ The Five Core Reform Measures
1. Ending Over-Auditing of Past Administrations
The President vowed to prevent excessive audits targeting policies of previous governments. This move aims to protect good-faith administrative actions and foster an environment where public servants can act with confidence for the people’s benefit.
2. Reforming Abuse of Authority Prosecutions
President Lee emphasized the need to prevent misuse of the "abuse of power" charge, calling for legal reforms and more cautious investigations to prevent chilling effects on officials.
3. Enhancing Treatment of Frontline Officials
The government will improve compensation and working conditions for public servants engaged in demanding areas such as disaster response, citizen services, and junior military officers, fostering pride and morale in public service.
4. Abolishing Outdated Duty Roster Systems
The 1960s-era government duty system will be overhauled to reflect the realities of the AI era. Night shifts that no longer serve a purpose will be removed, optimizing resource deployment for 24/7 public safety and efficiency.
5. Expanding Rewards and Promotions
Outstanding public officials will receive more recognition, including promotions. Additionally, civil servant AI education and work culture upgrades will be key parts of the broader transformation plan.
📅 Implementation Timeline
- Within 100 days: End audits of past administrations, reform abuse-of-power charges, abolish outdated duty systems, and expand recognition.
- By 2026 budget: Improve working conditions, enhance AI education, and boost promotion opportunities through inter-ministerial cooperation.
- Legal reforms: To be pursued through consultations with the National Assembly, Ministry of Justice, and Legislation Office.
⚖️ Firm Stance on Misconduct
While advocating reform and flexibility, the President underscored that corruption or rights violations will continue to be met with strict accountability measures.
🏛️ Task Force and Responsible Ministries
A Presidential Office task force, led by the Senior Secretary for Civil Affairs, will include the Budget Planning Office, Personnel Policy Secretary, Regional Development Secretary, and others. Ministries involved: Board of Audit and Inspection, Ministry of Economy and Finance, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Interior and Safety, and the Ministry of Science and ICT.
🔗 Related Links
This post is based on the official information provided by the Presidential Office of Korea.
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