Korea is a global leader in digital government, demonstrating long-standing commitment to innovation, efficiency, and citizen-centred public services. Decades of strategic investment, institutional reform, and policy foresight have laid a strong foundation for Korea’s digital transformation. This OECD Digital Government Review, developed in collaboration with the Ministry of the Interior and Safety (MOIS) and international peers, assesses Korea’s achievements and identifies opportunities for continued progress. The review focuses on four pillars – (1) governance, (2) data, (3) artificial intelligence (AI), (4) human-centred services – and Korea’s role on the global stage.
Korea’s digital transformation is driven by strong political leadership, centralised governance, and a co-ordinated institutional model led by MOIS. National strategies, cross-government collaboration, and high-performing digital infrastructure support consistent, long-term progress. Investments in digital government, guided by structured planning, central oversight, and standardised procurement processes ensure that initiatives are aligned with national priorities and deliver value for money. In parallel, Korea is working to build a digitally capable public workforce through targeted training, AI competency development, and data-literacy programmes. While these efforts are well advanced, challenges persist around talent retention, continuity in technical roles, and the need for greater agility and inclusiveness in regulatory and institutional co-ordination.
Korea leads globally in the strategic use of data in the public sector. It ranks first among OECD countries in government data and open-data maturity, due to its strong legal foundations and sustained investment in data policy and infrastructure. Frameworks such as the Act on Data-Based Administration enable secure sharing and re-use of data across institutions, while initiatives like MyData enhance individuals’ control over their personal data. However, practical barriers remain around data discoverability, support for legal compliance with data access and sharing, outdated laws hindering data sharing, and consistent use of data for service improvement and policy monitoring. While recent reforms in data protection may reinforce public confidence in public sector use of personal data, transparency around the use of data and algorithms in public decision-making could be strengthened.
Korea also sets international benchmarks in AI in government. It performs high in the government AI maturity component of the OECD Digital Government Index (DGI), reflecting a well-developed enabling environment, supported by strategic governance, frameworks for trustworthy AI, and digital infrastructure. Various areas of government use AI to improve operational efficiency and service responsiveness. For example, labour-inspection tools, patent-examination assistance, and flood-prediction systems have delivered measurable benefits. Nevertheless, adoption remains limited in important functions such as public procurement and public integrity to help identify fraud and strengthen public-sector accountability. Korea introduced guardrails to address potential risks, including national AI standards for trustworthy AI, the AI Safety Institute, and the Basic AI Act that will come into effect in 2026. Looking ahead, enhanced stakeholder-engagement and transparency mechanisms, such as public registries of government AI use, will be key to maintaining trust and supporting responsible, scaled deployment of AI across the public sector.
Finally, Korea’s approach to the design and delivery of digital public services is increasingly human-centred, integrated, accessible, and proactive. Flagship initiatives such as Digital Platform Government (DPG) and Government24 streamline more than 1,500 government services into centralised, digital platforms, improving accessibility and personalisation across public and private channels. The Electronic Government Act (2001) and national service-design standards drive service consistency and quality. Participatory mechanisms such as the Citizen Participatory Design Group embed public perspectives, though more investment in co-design and usability testing would strengthen user involvement throughout the service lifecycle. Korea promotes transparency and ethical service delivery through informed consent, performance monitoring, and digital rights protections. However, ensuring alignment between central and local government service delivery, and enhancing real-time user feedback mechanisms will be key to achieving inclusive, intuitive, and impactful services for all.