Minister Jung Eun-kyeong of the Ministry of Health and Welfare on the 12th emphasized, "Starting this year, it is time to produce tangible results and drive meaningful changes in people's lives."
In her opening remarks that day, the Minister said, "It is time to accelerate evidence-based policymaking and execution and deliver results that the public can feel."
The day's briefing is the first time ever that an entire work report by public institutions under the Ministry of Health and Welfare is broadcast live. Eleven agencies, including the National Health Insurance Service and the Health Insurance Review & Assessment Service (HIRA), are participating. Following the live broadcast of the presidential work report in Dec. last year, it was arranged to more transparently check and share the progress of national agenda items.
The Minister first presented the policy vision of the Ministry of Health and Welfare as "a strong welfare powerhouse built on fundamentals, a Korea where everyone is happy," reaffirming four key goals: ▲ strengthening the state's responsibility for care ▲ building a basic safety net for daily life ▲ reinforcing essential regional public health care ▲ innovating health and welfare to prepare for the future.
She then set out three directions for the heads of agencies. Calling for evidence-based policy planning and execution through data analysis and periodic evaluation, she said, "We must streamline unnecessary procedures, focus capabilities on core tasks, and deliver swift results."
The Minister went on to stress the importance of people-centered administration. She noted, "We must strengthen communication with the public and continuously review on-the-ground feedback," adding, "Active outreach and guidance are needed so that people can fully understand and utilize the policies and systems implemented by each institution."
She added that civil complaints, National Assembly criticisms, and expert critiques should also be used as opportunities to improve policy.
She also mentioned the role of public institutions in mutual growth with local communities. She said, "Public institutions relocated to the regions should carry out their core missions while creating positive effects by revitalizing local economies and cooperating with regional organizations."
Finally, the Minister said, "This work report goes beyond inter-agency understanding and communication; through the live broadcast, it also serves largely as a 'report to the public' in which each institution directly presents its plans for this year," and urged, "Please approach this with a sense of responsibility, as if reporting to the public."