'Break Down Ministry Divisions' Yoon's Order... 'Yeokjisaji' Personnel Exchange

Personnel Exchange Format Between Conflicting Ministries
Key Position Swap Between Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and Ministry of Environment
Expecting Synergy in Collaborative Tasks Through Broadened Understanding

The government is promoting personnel exchanges in which public officials are transferred to ministries where opinions inevitably conflict due to the nature of their work, in order to enhance mutual understanding between ministries.

For example, the Director General of Land Policy, who oversees national land development at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, and the Director General of the Nature Conservation Bureau, who oversees biological conservation and ecological welfare at the Ministry of Environment, would swap positions. The presidential office explained that this measure follows President Yoon's directive to break down barriers between ministries involved in implementing policies related to public welfare.

According to a presidential office official on the 7th, the presidential office and the government are considering a personnel exchange plan to swap the positions of working-level officials (directors and division chiefs) between ministries that have conflicting issues due to the nature of their work. The number of working-level positions subject to exchange is expected to be at least 20 and will likely be announced by the end of this month.

This is aimed at creating policies that the public can feel and ensuring prompt policy implementation by removing barriers between ministries.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

At the end of last year’s Cabinet meeting, President Yoon stated, "We must boldly break down barriers between ministries and strengthen inter-ministerial cooperation centered on tasks," and added, "We will greatly expand personnel exchanges between ministries to break down walls and strengthen cooperation, providing institutional support."

Since then, he has consistently emphasized inter-ministerial collaboration at Cabinet meetings and senior secretaries’ meetings. The reason this year’s New Year’s work report is conducted in the form of issue-based public welfare discussion forums is also due to this.

Some have pointed out that suddenly moving to completely opposite positions could cause problems in carrying out work, but the presidential office and government believe that since the personnel exchanges are not permanent but for experience, the synergy effect in policy implementation will be greater.

A presidential office official explained, "It will be possible to achieve results in tasks that require breaking down barriers between ministries and collaborating."

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