Government-Funded Research Institutes in Korea

- The Role of National Think Tanks -

2014. 11.

CONTENTS

I

II

Overview

The Role of Government-Funded Research Institutes: In the Case of the Korea Institute of Public Administration

1. Korea Institute of Public Administration’s role in promoting

innovation in the public sector

2. Key Contents and Methods

3. Challenges

3 Page

Ⅰ. Overview

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• In Korea, the role of the 23 research institutes under the National Research

Council for Economics, Humanities and Social Sciences as national think

tanks is to develop policy agendas and present visions for the nation’s

future.

• These research institutes conduct proactive policy studies as their main

duty as well as educating the public sector.

• The examples of the current research institutes are as follows:

Science and Technology Policy Institute

Korea Research Institute for Human Settlements

Korea Institute for Industrial Economics & Trade

Korea Energy Economics Institute

Korea Development Institute

Korean Educational Development Institute

Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs

Korea Institute of Public Administration, etc.

4 Page

Ⅱ. The Role of Government-Funded Research Institutes: In the Case of the

Korea Institute of Public Administration (KIPA)

1. Korea Institute of Public Administration’s role in promoting innovation in the public sector

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1) Mission of the Korea Institute of Public Administration

• Conducting systematic research into matters concerning the development of the

overall administrative system and the improvement of administrative institutions

and their operations

• Collection and management of information and data related to public

administration

• Promoting the exchange of information among domestic and overseas research

institutes.

2) Key Functions

• Research on public personnel, organization, e-government, administrative advancement

• Research on evaluation

• Research on public finance, budget, and international development cooperation

• Research on future administration

• Research on regulatory reform

• Research and education on conflict management

5 Page 3/6

3) Examples of Major Programs

• Research programs on the advancement of public administration

- This program conducts research on public administration innovation to advance

government administration, government organizations and its function, the human

resources system, and the construction of a system on government cooperation and

communication.

• Research programs on the advancement of the national disaster and risk

management

- KIPA discovers various research projects to advance the national crisis and disaster

system and it also presents specific policy recommendations.

• Government organizational diagnosis for the promotion of the cooperative

administration in the Government 3.0 Era

- In order to eliminate the walls of communication in between departments and to

revitalize cooperative administration, there is a need to reform the government function

system. For this, cooperative projects need to be discovered and a readjustment of

government functions need to be presented. A reform of the personnel administration

for public servants is also necessary.

1. Korea Institute of Public Administration’s role in promoting innovation in the public sector

Ⅱ. The Role of Government-Funded Research Institutes: In the Case of the

Korea Institute of Public Administration (KIPA)

6 Page 4/6

1) Policy Research

(1) Key Contents

• Basic Research Projects

- Enhancing the overall problem-solving capacities in the midst of the shift in

administrative environment

• On-Demand Government Projects

- Selecting and conducting research on issues that require immediate action to

respond to the changes in policy demands and policy environments of government

agencies that occur during the business year

• Contract-Based Projects

- Conducting research and investigations through various research projects under

contract with the central government agencies, local governments, public institutions,

and private enterprises

• Joint Research Projects

- Cooperating with academics and other research institutes under the National

Research Council for Economics, Humanities and Social Sciences in order to

conduct cross-national policy research through macroscopic approaches on

governance strategies and policy recommendations

2. Key Contents and Methods

Ⅱ. The Role of Government-Funded Research Institutes: In the Case of the

Korea Institute of Public Administration (KIPA)

7 Page 5/6

(2) The Method of Utilizing Research Results to Promote Innovation

• Introducing related theory, new research results, and research trends; Collecting

and analyzing various data; Comparing and contrasting important national and

international cases; Gathering the opinions of stakeholders and if needed

conducting a survey and show the results; Developing innovative policy

recommendations and presenting ways to enforce them

• In order to innovate the public sector, public servants and organizations should

refer to the reports on these research projects so that they can raise the level of

understanding regarding pending issues and utilize them to promote and realize

ideas to solve problems.

• In order to implement the various recommendations into policies, KIPA frequently

holds seminars, debates, symposiums, public hearings, and other events to form

public opinion and agendas.

2. Key Contents and Methods

Ⅱ. The Role of Government-Funded Research Institutes: In the Case of the

Korea Institute of Public Administration (KIPA)

8 Page 6/6

• Regarding urgent pending issues, the ideas and policy recommendations of

research institutes contributes to the innovation of the public sector.

• However, policy recommendations and research results on topics that are unique,

creative, preemptive, or not socially politicized are not easily accepted or embodied

by public servants of public sectors or organizations.

Ⅱ. The Role of Government-Funded Research Institutes: In the Case of the

Korea Institute of Public Administration (KIPA)

3. Challenges

2) Specialized Conflict Management Education

• Operating a Conflict Coordination and Cooperation Program, a specialized

education program

• Enhancing the negotiations and coordinating abilities of the main stakeholders of

public conflicts, who are the central and local public servants and the staff of the

public organization

2. Key Contents and Methods

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