Gov`t to uproot biased personnel administration: Prime Minister

In order to eliminate the practice of prejudiced personnel administration involving regionalism and academic affiliations, the government has decided to regulate the appointments of persons hailing from specific provinces or schools. For senior government officials higher than third class, no more than 30 to 40 percent of the total numbers should be chosen from a particular province or school, and if any biased personnel appointments are found these will be rectified immediately.

The government also decided to complete the enactment of a human rights law and anti-corruption law as well as a revision of the National Security Law by the end of June. At the same time, it plans to legislate a special law concerning balanced regional development and set up a five-year regional development plan.

In conjunction with these legal steps, the government will establish comprehensive anti-corruption measures for public servants and crack down on financial irregularities, especially those committed by holders of public positions, the leading echelon of society and financial organizations. And within this month, the government plans to provide and enforce guidelines for the maintenance of basic social order, public health, juvenile protection and the establishment of economic and financial order.

Prime minister Lee Han-Dong, holding a press conference at the Central Government Building Complex on Friday, disclosed this and other matters in his "20 major national tasks implementation plan for the year 2001." With regard to the improved personnel administration, the prime minister directed that the aforementioned 30-40 percent limits to the appointments of higher-ranking officials might well be implemented according to individual ministries and agencies.

The reform measures also called for the enforcement of a merit system in the appointments of bureau directors and office chiefs under the jurisdiction of the Central Personnel Council. Meanwhile, the government plans to bring about drastic reform in the personnel system with such measures as appointing chiefs of state-invested or state-subsidized organizations through open competition or on public recommendation. In particular, in the case of appointing key government posts including prosecutors, senior police officials, diplomats and other specialized officials, their alma maters or native provinces will be taken into account in assessing their qualifications for the appointment. If any biased appointments are found, they will be rectified through personnel transfers among the ministries and agencies, according to the plan.