[Second Half Policy Briefing] Interior Ministry: "Restoring Public Trust in Investigations... Promoting Fiscal Decentralization with 70:30 Ratio"

Advancing Public Administrative Services and Disaster Response with AI

Expanding the Social Solidarity Economy... Reforming the Resident Recall System

Increasing Local Gift Certificate Issuance to 31.2 Trillion Won by 2030

The Ministry of the Interior and Safety plans to enhance the convenience of administrative services through artificial intelligence (AI) technology in the second half of this year and to promote a fiscal decentralization initiative that will adjust the ratio of national to local taxes to 70:30. At the same time, the ministry is thoroughly preparing for the launch of the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency (SCIA) and is working to establish an investigative system that restores public trust.

On August 5, during a policy briefing held at the Blue House, the Ministry announced that it would vigorously implement key initiatives in the latter half of this year to create changes that the public can tangibly experience in their daily lives.

Yoon Hojung, Minister of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, is reporting on measures to strengthen the fairness of police investigations at the Cabinet meeting presided over by President Lee Jae-myung. Photo by Yonhap News, August 4, 2026.

AI-based 'Automatic Benefit Application Service' pilot launch... Expanded citizen participation

To drastically reduce inconveniences experienced in accessing administrative services, the Ministry will pilot the new 'Automatic Benefit Application Service' within the year. Through this service, AI will automatically apply for various benefits on behalf of residents once the eligibility criteria are met, significantly reducing procedural complexity.

Additionally, the ministry will introduce a 'One-Stop Service for Complex Administrative Requests,' enabling the public to resolve issues spanning multiple agencies in a single step, and will add more dedicated personnel to handle such requests.

The Ministry will also advance the realization of citizen sovereignty in policymaking by implementing platforms such as 'Everyone’s Forum' and 'Everyone’s Square,' while expediting the enactment of the Basic Act on Citizen Participation.

Furthermore, the government will reallocate and optimize its organizational structure through joint public-private audits, and the intelligent administrative work management platform 'OnAI' will be expanded to 47 central administrative agencies. By 2030, the Ministry aims to train 20,000 public sector AI specialists to strengthen the foundation of a capable government.

To ensure that the ninth term of local governments drive region-led growth in partnership with residents, the Ministry will expand resident-proposed projects to a scale of 3 trillion won by 2030. It will operate a 'Local Administration Monitoring Group,' enabling residents to directly oversee local administration and participate in policymaking, as well as bolster support for resident recall and initiative systems.

Pushing for Social Solidarity Economy and Basic Social Law... Strengthening Disaster Safety Nets

The Ministry will expedite the enactment of the 'Basic Law on Social and Solidarity Economy' to vitalize this sector, promoting youth work experience programs, youth village projects, and the proliferation of solar income villages, with the goal of expanding the share of the social solidarity economy to 7% by 2030.

The Ministry is also accelerating the enactment of the 'Basic Social Law' to ensure minimum living standards in areas such as housing, transportation, welfare, and finance throughout everyday life.

To protect public safety, the Ministry is drafting the outline for the ‘First Comprehensive Life Safety Plan,’ which will include upgrades to the AI-based safety system and disaster response frameworks closely tailored to on-site needs.

Moreover, the Ministry will improve the disaster management system by training AI models on 150,000 datasets related to wind and flood damage, aiming to develop precise prediction models and further scientific disaster safety management.

Preparation for SCIA Launch in October... Promoting Fiscal Decentralization Ratio of 70:30

The Ministry is ramping up efforts to ensure the smooth launch of the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency in October by securing a sufficient number of capable investigators and external experts, as well as preparing the necessary facilities and systems.

The Ministry aims to establish a serious crime investigation system that prioritizes the protection of human rights and the remedy of violations by dispersing the prosecution’s excessive powers and instituting mechanisms for democratic control.

To bolster public trust in police investigations, the Ministry will strengthen fairness and implement checks and balances among investigative agencies, including SCIA. By strengthening the National Police Commission, the Ministry intends to expand democratic oversight and establish an investigative system that the public can confidently trust.

Kim Minjae, Vice Minister of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, is giving a briefing related to the opening of the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency at the Government Complex Seoul in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on August 4, 2026. Photo by Jo Yongjun

To ensure that local governments possess robust independent financial resources, fiscal decentralization will be pursued by adjusting the ratio of national to local taxes to 70:30. As of the 2024 settlement, national taxes account for 74.7% (336.5 trillion won) and local taxes 25.3% (114.1 trillion won). The Ministry plans to operate a pan-government task force in the second half of the year for the full implementation of fiscal decentralization.

To revitalize regional economies, the ministry will expand the issuance volume of local gift certificates from 24 trillion won this year to 31.2 trillion won by 2030. In addition, standards for designating special cities outside the capital area will be eased, and specific areas will be designated as 'Population Vitality+Regions' to provide a springboard for regional self-advancement.

The Ministry will expand the Local Tax Arrears Management Team nationwide and block financial leakage and unfair contracts by intensifying inspections of unlawful subsidies and curbing paper companies. It will also completely inspect old bridges to eradicate the practice of neglecting safety in construction projects.

Minister Yoon Hojung emphasized, "In the second half of the year, we will robustly support the creation of an irreplaceable Korea under a government rooted in popular sovereignty by delivering clear results in realizing an AI-driven democratic government, vitalizing the social solidarity economy, establishing the foundation for a basic society, and ensuring the successful launch of the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.