Ministry of Economy and Finance Adjusts Evaluation Grades of 10 Institutions Due to 'Calculation Errors'... "Dismissal of Officials" (Update)

8th Public Institution Management Committee

Ando-geol, the 2nd Vice Minister of the Ministry of Economy and Finance, is offering an apology on the 25th at the Government Seoul Office regarding the correction and announcement of the 2020 public institution management evaluation results due to errors. From the right: Kim Yunsang, Director of Public Policy Bureau at the Ministry of Economy and Finance; Ando-geol, 2nd Vice Minister; Ryu Hyungseon, Head of Evaluation Analysis Division at the Ministry of Economy and Finance. 2021.6.25
[Photo by Yonhap News]

[Sejong=Asia Economy Reporter Son Seon-hee] The government announced on the 25th that the comprehensive ratings of 10 institutions were revised during the process of correcting errors and recalculating grades in the 2020 public institution management evaluation results. The number of institutions with revised category-specific grades affecting performance pay calculations also reached 13. This reversal of results occurred just one week after the evaluation results were announced on the 18th. In relation to this, it was decided to dismiss the evaluation team members responsible for the errors.

On the same day, Ando-geol, the 2nd Vice Minister of the Ministry of Economy and Finance, held the 8th Public Institution Management Committee (PIMC) at the Government Complex Seoul and announced that the committee reviewed and approved the "2020 Public Institution Management Evaluation Results Correction and Future Action Plan."

Vice Minister Ando-geol said, "After the evaluation results were approved at the PIMC on the 18th, some errors were found during the process of notifying each institution of the indicator-specific grades and scores by the public institution evaluation team," adding, "As a result, two final errors were confirmed: an error in applying the social value indicator weighting and a simple data entry error in evaluation scores."

According to the Ministry of Economy and Finance, a total of 10 institutions had their comprehensive grades revised due to this correction. Institutions whose grades rose include ▲Korea Research Foundation (B→A grade) ▲Korea Gas Safety Corporation, Human Resources Development Service of Korea, Korea Meteorological Industry Technology Institute (D→C grade) ▲Korea Childcare Promotion Institute (E→D grade), totaling five institutions. Institutions whose grades fell include ▲National Health Insurance Service (A→B grade) ▲Government Employees Pension Service, Korea Institute of Planning and Evaluation for Technology in Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Research & Development Special Zone Promotion Foundation (B→C grade) ▲Korea Foundation for the Advancement of Science and Creativity (C→D grade), also five institutions.

Accordingly, the follow-up measures based on the evaluation results were also revised. The Korea Meteorological Industry Technology Institute, which initially received a D grade and a warning to the head of the institution, was upgraded to a C grade and thus excluded from the list of underperforming institutions. Korea Gas Safety Corporation, Human Resources Development Service of Korea, and Korea Meteorological Industry Technology Institute were upgraded from D to C grade, thereby exempted from submitting management improvement plans and from next year's operating expense cuts (0.5~1%p).

On the other hand, the Korea Foundation for the Advancement of Science and Creativity was downgraded from C to D grade, adding it to the list of underperforming institutions (comprehensive grade D or E) required to submit management improvement plans and subject to operating expense reductions. The Korea Childcare Promotion Institute was upgraded from E to D grade, changing the reason for dismissal recommendation from 'E grade' to 'two consecutive years of D grade.'

Vice Minister Ando-geol stated, "Regarding this incident, strict personnel measures commensurate with responsibility will be taken against evaluation team members responsible for the errors," adding, "The heads of the quasi-governmental institution evaluation team, the responsible secretaries, and evaluation committee members will be dismissed from the evaluation committee according to the PIMC decision for causing errors due to breach of duty and negligence." He further added, "Evaluation team members involved in the error will be excluded from future appointments as management evaluation committee members."

He also said, "Based on breach or non-fulfillment of the evaluation service contract between the Korea Institute of Public Finance and the evaluation team, contract termination, reduction of progress payments, and other budgetary and accounting measures will be taken."

Furthermore, he bowed his head and said, "We sincerely apologize as the trust in public institution management evaluations has been greatly damaged due to the correction of already announced evaluation results caused by mistakes in the score calculation process."

The Ministry of Economy and Finance plans to establish an evaluation verification team within the evaluation team in the future and assign it to oversee the overall evaluation process. They also plan to strengthen supervision by establishing multi-level external verification and management mechanisms. Additionally, a "Management Evaluation System Improvement Task Force (TF)" will be formed to begin reforming the evaluation system. Related measures are scheduled to be announced by the end of August.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.