'Policies must drive real change in people's daily lives'; timely implementation also to be assessed

Prime Minister Han Seong-sook speaks at a Government Performance Evaluation Committee meeting held at Government Complex Seoul on Tuesday. [Yonhap]
Prime Minister Han Seong-sook speaks at a Government Performance Evaluation Committee meeting held at Government Complex Seoul on Tuesday. [Yonhap]

Prime Minister Han Seong-sook said Tuesday that how well the public actually feels the impact of government work should be the top criterion for evaluating government performance.

Han made the remarks at a Government Performance Evaluation Committee meeting held at Government Complex Seoul, saying that with the second half of the year now underway, "it is time to rigorously assess the efforts and results of each ministry through evaluation and examine whether there are areas that need improvement."

Addressing the committee members, Han said policies can only be considered effective when citizens feel real change in their daily lives and on the ground. She urged the committee to "thoroughly examine whether policies are actually reaching the people who need them, and whether the government is simply patting itself on the back."

Han also stressed the need for speed, saying the committee must "closely examine whether policies are being pushed forward with momentum and operating at the right time." "No matter how excellent a policy may be, missing the right moment to act is not acceptable," she added.

In addition, she asked the committee to pay attention to collaborative evaluations, saying she hoped the process would "serve as a catalyst for promoting cooperation between ministries and encouraging active communication with the public."

Han doubled down on the importance of follow-through, saying the government would "further strengthen feedback and rewards based on evaluation results." She said establishing "a virtuous cycle in which policy quality improves through clear rewards for strong performance and improvements to underperforming tasks is an important purpose of the evaluation."


oskymoon@heraldcorp.com