Public Administration and Policy in Korea ─ Its Evolution and Challenges

The present Korean public administration and policy system has shown very significant differences compared to the system in 1970s. This book provides a comprehensive and holistic view on the development of Korean public policy and administration.

Instead of dichotomizing the policy and administration, this book integrates two fields to provide a more holistic view on the Korean public sector. The book also attempts to overcome simplified explanations on the developmental state theory. The book aims to explain who the key actors are during the post-democratization period, how the administrative systems reform, and what kinds of social problems are transformed into public policies. This explanation suggests that the role of government shifts from a dominant actor to an actor within a complex network governance.

This book will be a useful reference to anyone who wishes to learn more about the experience of the Korean development and the role of administration and policy.

Keun Namkoong is Professor of Public Administration and Public Policy at Seoul National University of Science and Technology. He received his PhD from the University of Pittsburgh. His research interests include public policy theories, and administrative and civil service reforms. He is the author, co-author, and editor of numerous books including Research Methods for Public Administration, and Public Policy: Theories and Empirical Studies. He served as Editor-in Chief of Korean Public Administration Review, President of the Korean Association of Public Administration, President of Seoul National University of Science and Technology. He currently serves as Editor-in-Chief of A Study on Korean Public Administration, a quarterly published by the Korean Institute of Public Administration.