Comparison of Civil Service Reform in the United States and Korea: Central Personnel Agencies and Senior Civil Service Systems

Abstract

Recent changes to the Korean civil service system, such as the introduction of the Senior Civil Service system in 2006 and the elimination of the Civil Service Commission in 2008, superficially resemble changes introduced by the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978 in the United States. This study compares the structures and characteristics of the two countries civil service systems, their reforms, and the political context and processes by which reform legislation came to pass. Based on this comparison, policy implications are drawn for improving the Korean civil service system.