Overseas Bureaucrats Learn From Korea’s Fiscal Reform
By Yoon Ja-young
Staff Reporter
A dozen officials from Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Africa attended a training program by the Ministry of Planning and Budget from July 1-15, to learn from Korea¡?s experience in fiscal management and reform.
The ministry has been hosting the program for overseas mid-level government officials as part of its ``Knowledge Partnership Program¡?¡? twice a year. Fifty-eight officials from 19 countries have attended the program so far, to gain first hand experience in Korea's economic development, fiscal management system and fiscal reform. This year, 12 director general and director level government officials from 12 countries, including Cambodia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Philippines, Iraq, Jordan, Congo and Zambia participated in the program, which focused on Korea¡?s reform initiatives regarding a national fiscal management plan, top-down budgeting, performance management system, digital budget and accounting system.
The program is made up of lectures concerning various topics regarding public finance, visits to relevant institutions and presentations, together with discussions on fiscal systems of the participating countries.
``They have shown great interest in the role of public finance in Korea's economic development and recent fiscal reform initiatives implemented by the Korean government as well as issues regarding their application in the participating countries,¡?¡? explained an official at the ministry.
``For Indonesia, which has been implementing fiscal reform initiatives for the past three years, Korea's Digital Budget and Accounting System is highly applicable as it allows real-time and consolidated management of central and local government finances,¡?¡? said Abdul Gofar, director general of the Ministry of Finance of Indonesia.
``Through this visit to Korea, I was able to reaffirm the fact that the Han river miracle was made possible through its superb human resources, and that Korea's achievements in fiscal reform, which were as rapid and successful as its economic development process, are simply incredible,¡?¡? said Zambian senior budget analyst Chikwanda Musonda.
The ministry said it would continue expanding and developing the training program, as well as sign bilateral MOUs to strengthen international cooperation in the area of public finance, and dispatch experts to establish a foundation for exporting Korea's fiscal reform initiatives such as the digital budget and accounting system to partner countries.