[Gwanga in] "Two per day until year-end"... Ministries eager to promote achievements ahead of general elections

Presidential Office Presents Specific Goals
"Agree with Purpose of Performance Review but It's Too Excessive," Complaints Arise

Government ministries are putting great effort into promoting their policy achievements this year. This is in response to a special order from the Presidential Office to "inform the public of more than 10 achievements per ministry by the end of the year." While each ministry agrees with the intention of reviewing their achievements at the end of the year, some voices are complaining that "this is excessive and an over-the-top promotion ahead of the general election."

According to a comprehensive report by Asia Economy on the 26th, the Presidential Office's Office of National Public Relations Secretary instructed around the 18th to distribute more than 10 press (reference) materials on each ministry's livelihood policy achievements by the end of the year.

The Office of National Public Relations Secretary set specific quantity targets along with the promotion subjects. They ordered the distribution of more than 10 materials on the theme of "livelihood policies" by the end of this year, and another 10 materials between January 1 and 20 next year. Accordingly, one ministry reported a "Top 10 Achievements Promotion" plan on the 20th. A ministry official said, "Every year at the end of the year, each ministry distributed about one or two materials reintroducing the representative policies of the year and informing the progress or achievements," adding, "However, it is unprecedented for all ministries to be given a common theme and to distribute more than 10 press releases for promotion like this year."

Government Complex Sejong City view. (Photo by Government Complex Management Headquarters)

In fact, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy plans to distribute dozens of press releases this week alone under the subtitle "2023 Achievements," including major responses to trade technical barriers, key achievements in power system policies, and the results of the Korea Sale Festa. The Fair Trade Commission is doing the same. Instead of including it in the weekly press plan, the Fair Trade Commission distributes materials related to livelihood achievements according to the situation. Starting with "Competition-Restrictive Regulation Improvement" on the 22nd, they plan to promote livelihood achievements every day without a weekend, releasing one material per day this year.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs is preparing promotional materials that exceed the Presidential Office's target. This week alone, under the subtitle "2023 Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Livelihood Policy Spotlight," they plan to distribute 11 related materials including ▲support for youth startups in agriculture ▲the globally recognized K-Rice Belt ▲expansion of smart farm exports through strengthened Middle East cooperation ▲achievements in powdered rice and strategic crop direct payment systems ▲agricultural food export achievements ▲expansion of rural workforce support. This means they have to announce about two achievement materials per day for five days from the 25th to the 29th of this month.

Another ministry official said, "At the end of the year, we internally organize achievements to evaluate the promotional results of national tasks, but creating and distributing these as press releases to the outside inevitably requires additional work," adding, "Since a quantitative target of 10 per ministry has been set, ministries have to competitively produce press releases, which may cause the problem of neglecting the achievements that each ministry intended to promote intensively."

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