Public administration key to Korean development

The Korea Times (09-27-2011 18:14) By Lee Tae-hoon

(Park Chin-keun, chairman and CEO of the National Research Council for Economics, Humanities and Social Studies, speaks during an interview with The Korea Times at his office in Seoul, Friday. / Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul)

 

The Korea Institute of Public Administration (KIPA), a flagship state-run think tank under the Prime Minister’s Office, will host an international conference today at the Korea Press Center in Seoul on the theme, “Discover Korea in Public Administration.”

Over the past half century, Korea has surprised the world with its economic achievements and technological advancement, emerging as one of the true success stories in the global economy.

So how could a nation devastated by war become a global economic powerhouse and what was the secret behind the “Miracle on the Han River,” a phrase used to describe the country’s astonishing export-fueled economic progress.

According to Park Chin-keun, chairman and CEO of the National Research Council for Economics, Humanities and Social Sciences, one of the key elements for the success was the dedication and “sacrifice made by the Korean bureaucratic elite” and the determination and single-mindedness of the Korean national leadership.

“I’d say the secret to Korea’s astonishing success is largely attributable to the nation’s government,” the professor-turned-administrator said.

“The single most important driving force behind Korea’s economic success and what helped the impoverished nation grow into a world industrial power was the government.”

He said the government was chiefly responsible for providing a roadmap for economic growth from the early 1960s through the early 1990s under a set of five-year development plans.

Park noted that developing and emerging economies have much to learn not only from the story of its inspirational transformation from an aid recipient to a major donor, but also from its trials and errors.

“Korea learned a very important lesson as it moved from a government-led economy to a market-oriented one in the 1990s,” Park said.

“A sudden deregulation of the financial, capital and foreign exchange systems in a rush to join the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development resulted in a financial crisis.”

He said the participants of the seminar will be able to enjoy a host of thoughtful presentations from experts who have analyzed the administrative role in Korea’s dynamic progress.

“The seminar will offer sharp analyses and prescriptions for other countries and peoples with an interest in Korea’s achievement of rapid industrialization and a dynamic democracy in a short period of time,” Park said.

He noted that it will shed new light into the history of Korean public administration from 60 years ago to the present day and offer invaluable lessons for policymakers in developing nations as well as certain advanced countries as well.

“I believe the seminar offers a vision of success and a roadmap for other countries to follow,” he said.

Park currently oversees 23 government think tanks under the Prime Minister’s Office, including KIPA, which organized the seminar on the occasion of its 20th anniversary this year.

The seminar will address three themes ― “The Role of Public Administration in Korean Development,” “The Development of Korean Public Administration,” and “The Future of Korean Public Administration.”

Based on presentations and discussions made during the conference, KIPA plans to publish a book, “Discover Korea in Public Administration,” which it expects will become an invaluable guide to countries trying to benchmark Korea. (leeth@koreatimes.co.kr)