Public Institutions Improve Records Management... Lowest-Rated Institutions Drop Sharply

Overall average score of 87.5, up 3.4 points from 2024
Metropolitan and provincial offices of education score 94.8; education support offices trail at 79.6

The records management practices of public institutions, which had received the lowest failing grade amid poor oversight and indifference, showed clear improvement in just two years. The number of institutions in the lowest grade, Grade E, fell sharply, while the share in the highest grade, Grade A, rose by double digits, prompting assessments that records management capabilities had advanced across the board.

The Ministry of the Interior and Safety reported and released the results of its "2026 Records Management Assessment of Public Institutions" to the Cabinet on November 10. The assessment covered 230 institutions, including 17 metropolitan and provincial offices of education, 176 education support offices, and 37 government-affiliated public institutions.

The records management assessment is a system first introduced in 2007 to evaluate the level of records management at public institutions and strengthen their capabilities. It is conducted every two years for each type of institution. The assessment evaluates 11 to 16 indicators across three areas - work infrastructure, work implementation, and institution-led priority initiatives - and assigns one of five grades, from A to E.

The most notable findings in this assessment were the sharp decline in lower-ranked institutions and the strong gains among those at the top, marking a clear departure from previous results.

The overall average score was 87.5, up 3.4 points from 84.1 in the previous assessment in 2024. By grade, the share of institutions receiving the highest grade, A, rose by 11.9% compared with 2024, while the share receiving the lowest grade, E, fell by 7.3%.

In the 2024 assessment, 46 institutions received Grade E. This time, the number plunged by 17, or 37.0%, to 29, marking clear progress in moving institutions out of the bottom tier.

Results varied by type of institution. Metropolitan and provincial offices of education recorded the highest average score among all categories, at 94.8. Of the 17 offices assessed, 16 received the top grade, A.

Government-affiliated public institutions also maintained generally stable management systems, with an average score of 88.1 and 34 of the 37 institutions receiving Grade B or higher.

By contrast, local education support offices responsible for grassroots administration still have work to do. Their average score was just 79.6, and all 29 institutions that received the lowest grade, E, were education support offices, highlighting the urgent need to strengthen their infrastructure systematically.

The National Archives of Korea, under the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, plans to provide tailored consulting to underperforming institutions with weak records management. Experts will visit the institutions in person to help develop effective improvement measures.

Minister of the Interior and Safety Yoon Ho-jung said, "The overall improvement in records management capabilities is encouraging, but underperforming institutions must receive tailored support. Through thorough consulting and compliance with statutory obligations, we will guide all public institutions in building a transparent records ecosystem that earns the public's trust."

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