The Causes and Status of Civil Service Reforms in Korea

Abstract

This paper seeks to evaluate the status of civil service reform, which followed the prescription of the so-called neo-liberalism and new public management. The first part of the paper explores the environmental causes that brought about the recent civil service system reform in Korea. Major factors that shape the details of civil service reform are examined. The second part of the paper reviews the reform effort and assesses the outcomes of the reform programs. The tentative evaluation shows that some civil service reform programs produced noticeable achievement while others are in need of continouos attention.