Government Performance Management and Evaluation in South Korea: History and Current Practices

ABSTRACT:

This article discusses the history and features of South Korea’s government performance management and evaluation system. The Korean system was initially influenced by New Public Management and Reinventing Government as practiced in the United States, but it has developed distinct features that stem from South Korea’s institutional and cultural context. These features reflect a blend of Western institutions and Korean cultural influences that emphasize centralization, hierarchy, group harmony, and submission to higher authority. The institutionalized representation and involvement of civilians in the committee-type bodies that oversee performance evaluation at all levels, and the adoption of a comprehensive and advanced information technology platform, on the other hand, signify a desire to break from the past.

KEYWORDS::

• government performance
• Korean government
• performance evaluation
• performance management
• self-evaluation
• South Korea

Acknowledgment

This article was written as part of Konkuk University’s research support program for its faculty on sabbatical leave in 2013.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Seung-Bum Yang

Seung-Bum Yang is an Associate Professor of Public Administration at Konkuk University, Seoul, South Korea. He has published articles in Public Performance & Management Review, Journal of Business and Psychology, Public Personnel Management, and International Review of Public Administration.

Ador R. Torneo

Ador Revelar Torneo is an Associate Professor of Political Science at De La Salle University, Manila, Philippines. His work has been published in Philippine Political Science Journal, Asian Politics and Policy, Asia-Pacific Social Science Review, and International Journal of Technology, Policy and Management.