The Ministry of Public Safety and Security was launched on November 19 to more effectively protect people from disaster. In addition, on the same day the Ministry of Personnel Management was established to upgrade public sector human resources management.

The Ministry of Public Safety and Security will be placed under the Prime Minister's Secretariat and will consist of over 10,000 people. The ministry will absorb two abolished agencies - the National Emergency Management Agency and the Korea Coast Guard - and turn them into a central emergency headquarters and a coast guard safety headquarters, respectively. The ministry will also take over the public safety and emergency management functions of the former Ministry of Security and Public Administration and, instead, form its own public safety division and emergency management division. Finally, the new ministry will set up a special emergency division to deal with different catastrophes related to airplanes, energy, chemicals, gas and telecommunications.




"The two ministries form the axis of national innovation in the public sector," said Prime Minister Chung Hongwon. "The new ministry of safety needs to quickly build effective, comprehensive emergency management systems and protect public safety. Since the functions that were once separate are now combined, its members should quickly integrate and the ministry should have a solid line of command."

"With a painful lesson from the sinking of the Sewol ferry, we should significantly strengthen our capacity to manage emergencies," he added.

Speaking of the Ministry of Personnel Management, Chung said, "As it is responsible for innovation in managing human resources, it needs to strongly drive reform in the public sector and become the foundation of national innovation. The ministry needs to consider expertise and openness and develop public offices so that they are more competitive, upright and are respected organizations."

The Ministry of Public Safety and Security will have 10,045 officials and employees, including 9,372 who will be transferred from other ministries and agencies. Out of the 673 new employees, 514 will be allocated to the field.

If there is a serious disaster, the prime minister will act as the head of central emergency management. This will significantly strengthen overall control, command and mediation in dealing with emerging situations. In addition, a new emergency management secretary position will be created in the presidential secretariat to improve emergency management support at the presidential office.

The Ministry of Personnel Management will create a human resources information director general position to improve the function of finding human resources and an employment review department to strengthen the appraisal of public servant retirees.

By Limb Jae-un
Korea.net Staff Writer
Photos courtesy of the Prime Minister's Secretariat
jun2@korea.kr