Public Policy Processes and Citizen Participation in South

Korea

Governance in Korea2013-1st semester

March 18, 2013

Organized by Saori Kakihara

Contents of today’s lecture:The Policy-Making Process in Korea

An Example of the Policy-Making Process: Example of Environmental Policy

Public ParticipationCitizen ReferendumCitizen RecallCitizen LitigationCitizen Participation in the government Budget sys-

tem

The Policy-making Process in Korea:The Process before the 1990s

Policy-Making Process was limited to government: related ministries, offices, Blue House.

The participation of political entities are excluded: National Assembly, political parties, NGOs, interest groups, public.

Public opinions were rarely expressed.

Monopoly of decision-making in the public policy process.

The Process before the 1990s (continued) Policy-Making process was secretive and closed to the public:

Most important decisions were decided unofficially in prior confidential meeting.

Official public meetings served only as a documentation process.

In contrast, big companies formed close ties with the upper class of political society (chaebols)

The government needed reliable business partners that could lead a major economic development for the country.

The business companies wanted government support to play as partners.

Result: Success in economic development – “The growth-first practice”

Side Effect: Corruption Special tax favors, unfair business permissions, bribery,

and unfair favor exchanges.

The Establishment of Participatory Government in the 1990s

The pubic participation in governmental decision making.

Participatory government to promote citizen participation.

Various social groups expressed their own views.

The Internet use - The public information disclosure and increased accessibility.

The cooperative relationship between central and local governments.

Example of the Policy-Making Process: Environmental Policy

After recognizing social problems, the government puts them on the policy agenda and gathers information about them.

Evaluate them and the best alternative is selected.

Ministry od Environment (MOE) establishes the basic goals and objectives of the policy, reviews and coordinates related policies.

Relating with central government ministries and offices, the Presidential Green Growth Commission, and local governments.

Public Participation is commonly used.

Institutional Efforts to Integrate Public Participation

Citizen Participation at both central and local government levels: agenda setting, policy making, policy implementation, and policy evaluation.

Advisory committees, public hearings, and volunteers.

Internet participation.

Integrate Public Participation: Citizen Referendum

A referendum is a direct vote in which an entire electorate is asked to either accept or reject a particular proposal, usually a piece of legislation which has been passed into law by the local legislative body and signed by the pertinent executive officials. This may result in the adoption of a new constitution, a constitutional amendment, a law, the recall of an elected official or simply a specific government policy.

Introduced in Korea in 2004.

Provides voting rights to those age 20 or over.

Policy issues that impose heavy burdens or have important impacts on residents are the candidates for referendum.

Heads of local government office can claim the necessity for referendum to listen to public opinion about policies.

Residents can also call for the referendum.

Integrate Public Participation: Citizen Recall

Government officials may be dismissed from their positions before their terms are completed on charges, petitions, or votes of citizens.

Case of Goyang city: For the first time in national history, Goyang attempted to recall its mayor for issuing business permits to pubs and motels in a school zone.

Integrate Public Participation: Citizen Litigation /

Government Budget System

Citizens monitor wrongdoing of the public expenditure.

Although public audit and evaluation institutions exist, citizens can directly ask for financial accountability from the government.

Government reflects citizens’ voices in its budgetary process.

In most cases, the government encourages the public to participate in Internet surveys, public hearings, and informal talk sessions.

Citizens of the east Ulsan: A citizen committee reviews and finalizes the budget bill.

Conflicts between Government and the Public

Do you think Korean political power and authority are still concentrated in government?

Is citizen participation visible in the policy-making process?

Thank you!