Many quasi-governmental agencies operate under the umbrella of the Korean government. Such agencies receive contributions, commissions, or support from the government. There are about several hundred such organizations operating in support of the Kore...
Many quasi-governmental agencies operate under the umbrella of the Korean government. Such agencies receive contributions, commissions, or support from the government. There are about several hundred such organizations operating in support of the Korean people, but they have a poor public image. They are often portrayed in the media as unaccountable and inefficient. They have been criticized by "civil society because many quasi-governmental agencies have operated without comprehensive evaluation and monitoring systems. External criticism of the agencies has manifested itself in a demand for management innovation within these agencies. Indeed, the push for reform has expanded to include the governmental agencies as well as the quasi-governmental agencies overseen by the Korean government. In response to the reform movement. the Ministry of Planning and Budget (MPB) and the Presidential Commission of Government Innovation (PCG!) have targeted such quasi-governmental agencies for management overhaul. In reality, however, the Ministry can only recommend independent management innovations due to a lack of regulatory authority over such agencies. Currently, the effectiveness of the management innovation efforts undertaken by the government is being hampered by meager legal and systematic support. The purpose of this paper is to review the overall status of quasi-governmental agencies in Korea and the management challenges they face; to assess similar cases from overseas; and to examine possible measures for more efficient management of these quasi-governmental agencies.