1.
Government-Funded Research Institutes in Korea
- The Role of National Think Tanks -
2014. 11.

2.
CONTENTS
I
II
Overview
The Role of Government-Funded Research Institutes:
In the Case of the Korea Institute of Public Administration
1. Korea Institute of Public Administration’s role in promoting
innovation in the public sector
2. Key Contents and Methods
3. Challenges

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3Page
Ⅰ. Overview
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• In Korea, the role of the 23 research institutes under the National Research
Council for Economics, Humanities and Social Sciences as national think
tanks is to develop policy agendas and present visions for the nation’s
future.
• These research institutes conduct proactive policy studies as their main
duty as well as educating the public sector.
• The examples of the current research institutes are as follows:
Science and Technology Policy Institute
Korea Research Institute for Human Settlements
Korea Institute for Industrial Economics & Trade
Korea Energy Economics Institute
Korea Development Institute
Korean Educational Development Institute
Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs
Korea Institute of Public Administration, etc.

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4Page
Ⅱ. The Role of Government-Funded Research Institutes: In the Case of the
Korea Institute of Public Administration (KIPA)
1. Korea Institute of Public Administration’s role in promoting innovation in the public sector
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1) Mission of the Korea Institute of Public Administration
• Conducting systematic research into matters concerning the development of the
overall administrative system and the improvement of administrative institutions
and their operations
• Collection and management of information and data related to public
administration
• Promoting the exchange of information among domestic and overseas research
institutes.
2) Key Functions
• Research on public personnel, organization, e-government, administrative advancement
• Research on evaluation
• Research on public finance, budget, and international development cooperation
• Research on future administration
• Research on regulatory reform
• Research and education on conflict management

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3) Examples of Major Programs
• Research programs on the advancement of public administration
- This program conducts research on public administration innovation to advance
government administration, government organizations and its function, the human
resources system, and the construction of a system on government cooperation and
communication.
• Research programs on the advancement of the national disaster and risk
management
- KIPA discovers various research projects to advance the national crisis and disaster
system and it also presents specific policy recommendations.
• Government organizational diagnosis for the promotion of the cooperative
administration in the Government 3.0 Era
- In order to eliminate the walls of communication in between departments and to
revitalize cooperative administration, there is a need to reform the government function
system. For this, cooperative projects need to be discovered and a readjustment of
government functions need to be presented. A reform of the personnel administration
for public servants is also necessary.
1. Korea Institute of Public Administration’s role in promoting innovation in the public sector
Ⅱ. The Role of Government-Funded Research Institutes: In the Case of the
Korea Institute of Public Administration (KIPA)

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1) Policy Research
(1) Key Contents
• Basic Research Projects
- Enhancing the overall problem-solving capacities in the midst of the shift in
administrative environment
• On-Demand Government Projects
- Selecting and conducting research on issues that require immediate action to
respond to the changes in policy demands and policy environments of government
agencies that occur during the business year
• Contract-Based Projects
- Conducting research and investigations through various research projects under
contract with the central government agencies, local governments, public institutions,
and private enterprises
• Joint Research Projects
- Cooperating with academics and other research institutes under the National
Research Council for Economics, Humanities and Social Sciences in order to
conduct cross-national policy research through macroscopic approaches on
governance strategies and policy recommendations
2. Key Contents and Methods
Ⅱ. The Role of Government-Funded Research Institutes: In the Case of the
Korea Institute of Public Administration (KIPA)

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(2) The Method of Utilizing Research Results to Promote Innovation
• Introducing related theory, new research results, and research trends; Collecting
and analyzing various data; Comparing and contrasting important national and
international cases; Gathering the opinions of stakeholders and if needed
conducting a survey and show the results; Developing innovative policy
recommendations and presenting ways to enforce them
• In order to innovate the public sector, public servants and organizations should
refer to the reports on these research projects so that they can raise the level of
understanding regarding pending issues and utilize them to promote and realize
ideas to solve problems.
• In order to implement the various recommendations into policies, KIPA frequently
holds seminars, debates, symposiums, public hearings, and other events to form
public opinion and agendas.
2. Key Contents and Methods
Ⅱ. The Role of Government-Funded Research Institutes: In the Case of the
Korea Institute of Public Administration (KIPA)

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• Regarding urgent pending issues, the ideas and policy recommendations of
research institutes contributes to the innovation of the public sector.
• However, policy recommendations and research results on topics that are unique,
creative, preemptive, or not socially politicized are not easily accepted or embodied
by public servants of public sectors or organizations.
Ⅱ. The Role of Government-Funded Research Institutes: In the Case of the
Korea Institute of Public Administration (KIPA)
3. Challenges
2) Specialized Conflict Management Education
• Operating a Conflict Coordination and Cooperation Program, a specialized
education program
• Enhancing the negotiations and coordinating abilities of the main stakeholders of
public conflicts, who are the central and local public servants and the staff of the
public organization
2. Key Contents and Methods

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