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May 28, 2008
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| One government committee, formed under the education ministry to settle disputes between local education offices, never held a single meeting since it was set up in March 2000. Another, established in 2002 under the administration ministry, was supposed to be reviewing the policies of adjacent regions, but never discussed a single issue. As hundreds of the 530 government committees do nothing but exist, the Ministry of Public Administration and Security decided to shut down more than half of them as part of reorganization efforts, the ministry said yesterday. A total of 273 committees will be abolished. “The move aims to improve government management by reforming inefficient committees,” said Kim Sang-in, an organization policy official at the ministry. With government committees multiplying over recent years, the previous administration has been criticized for turning Korea into the “Republic of Committees.” The number of committees set up under ministries went up from 319 in 1999 to 573 in May of this year. A total of 15 ministries or government organizations have more than 10 committees each. The committees that will be culled this time include 63 with few accomplishments and 49 which have already accomplished their goals. Fifty-eight will be merged with other committees. The Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs has the most committees with 59, followed by the Prime Minister’s Office with 54, the Ministry of Knowledge Economy with 50, the Ministry of Public Administration and Security with 37, the Ministry for Health and Welfare with 38 and the Ministry for Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries with 35. “By shutting down unnecessary committees, we will be able to simplify administrative procedures, implement government policies more efficiently, and cut government spending,” said Kim. According to the administration ministry, 330 ordinances had to be revised to close the committees. The ministry plans to revise the ordinances within this year and submit a bill related to controlling the establishment and operation of government committees next month. By Park Shin-hong JoongAng Ilbo/ Kim Soe-jung Staff Reporter [soejung@joongang.co.kr] |
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