Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance Koo Yun-cheol answers questions from staff at a town hall meeting held Monday at Government Complex Sejong to mark the first anniversary of his inauguration. [Ministry of Economy and Finance]
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance Koo Yun-cheol answers questions from staff at a town hall meeting held Monday at Government Complex Sejong to mark the first anniversary of his inauguration. [Ministry of Economy and Finance]

South Korea's Ministry of Economy and Finance marked its 200th day since launch with a series of internal events Monday aimed at strengthening communication within the organization, including an AI-assisted town hall meeting, a union roundtable and a family invitation event for staff and facility workers. The ministry introduced an AI system that collected and displayed anonymous employee questions in real time for Deputy Prime Minister Koo Yun-cheol to answer on the spot — a first for the ministry — signaling its intent to build momentum for second-half economic policy through greater openness and cohesion.

The ministry said Tuesday the events were held Monday to coincide with three milestones: the ministry's 200th day of operation, the completion of an office space reorganization, and the first anniversary of Koo's inauguration as deputy prime minister and minister. Three programs were held to gather broad staff input and strengthen organizational unity: an AI-based town hall meeting, a formal tea meeting with the labor union, and a family invitation event for staff and facility workers.

The centerpiece was the AI-assisted "three flavors" town hall. Staff submitted questions — ones they might ordinarily hesitate to raise publicly — on topics such as personnel matters, welfare and the work environment, and an AI system sorted and displayed them on screen in real time for Koo to address. Koo also outlined the ministry's direction on high-interest issues, including expanded second-half promotion opportunities, more overseas training slots, and improvements to staff welfare facilities and the IT environment.

"I will work to make the Ministry of Economy and Finance a workplace worth coming to," Koo said, urging staff to submit ideas at any time.

Immediately after the town hall, Koo held the ministry's first official tea meeting with Jeong Wan-jun, head of the Ministry of Economy and Finance chapter of the National Public Servants' Labor Union. The meeting — the first formal gathering since Jeong took office as chapter head — was attended by the head of the planning and coordination office and personnel officials, who discussed staff welfare, improvements to working conditions and future labor-management cooperation. Koo described the union as "a partner that thinks together about the ministry's development and the happiness of its employees" and pledged to maintain ongoing dialogue.

That afternoon, a children's event drew 115 people from 35 families, including those of staff, facility workers and the press corps. The ministry extended a separate invitation to the families of facility workers who manage the building as a gesture of appreciation. Children took part in a visit to the deputy prime minister's office and various hands-on programs. Koo said senior officials would lead by example in taking summer leave "so that staff can enjoy sufficient rest with their families during the vacation period."

Building on the events, the ministry said it would further strengthen internal communication and labor-management cooperation while pressing ahead with policies to achieve the "3-4-5 vision" outlined in its second-half economic growth strategy — targeting potential growth of 3 percent, a top-four ranking in global exports, and per capita national income of $50,000.


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