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President Lee Jae-myung presides over the fifth senior aides’ meeting at the presidential office in Yongsan, Seoul, on July 24. / Source: Yonhap News

President Lee Jae-myung has pledged to overhaul Korea's public service culture by curbing excessive audits and investigations, aiming to foster a more creative and proactive administrative environment. The announcement came during a senior aides’ meeting held at the presidential office on July 24.

"Under no circumstances should diligent public servants be discouraged or harassed under the pretense of audits or investigations," President Lee said. To support this, the presidential office unveiled five major policy initiatives targeting reform in public administration.

Presidential Chief of Staff Kang Hoon-sik, speaking in a press briefing later that day, explained, "The president instructed a revamp of both the organizational culture and systems so that public officials can work with creativity and initiative." He added that President Lee pointed out a recurring issue in which reasonable administrative actions by previous governments were often targeted for policy audits and abuse of power probes following political transitions.

"This cycle of fear and inaction must end," Kang emphasized. The government now intends to reduce excessive policy audits and support “active administration,” freeing officials to serve the public with confidence.

The reform plan includes revising laws related to abuse of power charges to prevent misuse, while maintaining strict accountability for genuine corruption or human rights violations. Compensation and work conditions for frontline civil servants—such as those handling disaster response or military conscripts—will also be improved.

Other key initiatives include abolishing inefficient duty rosters, expanding rewards and promotions for high-performing officials, and strengthening AI training and job growth pathways.

Chief of Staff Kang said the administration aims to implement reforms on audits, legal investigations, duty systems, and employee incentives within 100 days. Measures requiring funding, such as workplace benefits and training programs, will be included in next year’s budget.

"We hope these changes will encourage civil servants to make bold and creative policy decisions," Kang said. "The presidential office will continue to identify and push forward with agenda items that directly impact people’s daily lives."

In response to questions about whether the new approach would apply to audits related to former President Yoon Suk-yeol's administration, Presidential Secretary for Civil Affairs Bong Wook said, “As the President and the Chief of Staff stated today, the goal is to break from past cycles. Decisions and implementation of past policies will be protected from retroactive audits under the improved framework.”