Moon's 'Big Government' Gap, Ministries Increasing Senior Officials... Industry, Employment, and Ministry of Economy and Finance

[Public Officials' Personnel Expenses Reach 100 Trillion Won Era]
Expanding Organizations and Increasing Senior Officials Toward End of Administration
Ministry of Economy and Finance Launches 'Supply Chain Planning Unit' Two Months Before End of Moon Administration
Ministries of Industry and Employment Increase Directors by Four Each, Highest Number of Senior Officials in Current Government Increased

[Asia Economy Sejong=Reporter Kwon Haeyoung] #The Ministry of Economy and Finance launched the 'Economic Security Supply Chain Planning Group' this month, just two months before the end of the Moon Jae-in administration. As supply chain management became more important, the group aims to serve as a 'control tower' for supply chain organizations scattered across various ministries, including the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. Although the Economic Security Supply Chain Planning Group is a temporary organization led by a director-level official, it is highly likely to be promoted to a regular organization at the bureau level in the future. This means an additional senior official position will be created. This has sparked criticism inside and outside the government that this is a typical 'old habit' of the bureaucracy to expand organizations and increase positions at the end of an administration.

According to the office of Lee Myung-soo, a member of the People Power Party, among the 18 major government ministries since the launch of the Moon Jae-in administration, the ministries that increased the number of senior officials (division and bureau chiefs) the most were the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, the Ministry of Employment and Labor, and the Ministry of Economy and Finance, in that order (based on headquarters from the end of 2017 to the end of 2021).

Both the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and the Ministry of Employment and Labor increased their senior executive ranks by four each, including one division chief and three bureau chiefs. Additionally, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy expanded its organization to a three vice-minister system last year by creating the position of 'Energy Vice Minister.' Following that, the Ministry of Economy and Finance increased three bureau chiefs, the Ministry of Science and ICT increased two division chiefs and one bureau chief, and the Ministry of SMEs and Startups increased three bureau chiefs. The bureaucracy tends to be proactive in expanding organizations due to personnel stagnation, and this demand from ministries is believed to have been further reflected in line with the current administration's 'big government' policy.

Based on headquarters, the organization with the largest number of senior executives is the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which has a total of 45 senior officials, including 9 division chiefs and 36 bureau chiefs. Next in line with many senior executives are the Ministry of Economy and Finance (38), the Ministry of the Interior and Safety (38), the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (35), the Ministry of Health and Welfare (27), and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (27).

Among the 18 ministries, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has the highest number of division and bureau chiefs (9 and 36 respectively). Next, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy has the most division chiefs (8), and the Ministry of Economy and Finance has the most bureau chiefs (32).

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