South Korea plans to increase the number of personnel working at international organizations to 100 next year, the Ministry of Personnel Management said Sunday, amid the country's stepped-up efforts to bolster its diplomatic profile on the global stage.
The ministry said that it would expand a government system that allows public servants to take a leave of absence to serve at international organizations for three years and extend the period by two years if necessary.
Currently, 85 public servants work at 37 international organizations under the system.
The organizations include the International Atomic Energy Agency, the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the International Labor Organization, the International Monetary Fund and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.
The ministry plans to expand the number of Korean personnel particularly at organizations that can facilitate Seoul's efforts to bolster economic ties with Asian and Middle Eastern states and its "creative economy" drive. The drive is an initiative that calls for turning creative ideas into real businesses with the help of cutting-edge science, expertise and information technology.
"Calls are growing within the international community for South Korea to share its development experience," an official at the ministry said, declining to be named.
"We plan to increase the number of our personnel at the international bodies to advance our national interests and international prestige."
Seoul's decision to extend the number of its personnel at global bodies came as observers pointed out that it has much fewer workers at them than foreign countries including China and Japan.
Currently, 285 South Koreans including civilians work at 35 U.N. agencies, while some 2,924 Americans, 792 Japanese, 861 Spaniards, 571 Australians and 559 Chinese work at those institutions.
The government plans to conduct a survey of the public servants who wish to work at international bodies and finalize the list by the end of this year. (Yonhap)
