Policy Reform in Japan and South Korea (1997-2002)

Korea`s Experience with NPM-Based Reform: Applying the Policy Fashion Concept

“…The differences between policy choices made by Korea and Japan in response to the 1997 financial crisis may shed light on this issue. Kim (2005) reported that Korean government actively implemented NPM-driven policies in order to overcome economic hardship, whereas the Japanese government changed its policies more gradually. He argued that Korea's wholesale adoption of NPM was made possible by the fact that a Korean president is more powerful than a Japanese prime minister.…”

“…phenomena may have time-and place-specific characteristics. For example, administrative reforms in Japan and Korea in response to the Asian financial crisis differed, with Japan continuing steady yet modest reform programs while the Korean government attempted to implement drastic reforms during the first phase of the crisis but could not sustain them when political support diminished (Kim 2005). This raises the question of whether the policy fashion concept fits the Korean situation by accident or whether Korea's culture makes it especially susceptible to fads.…”

“…He proposed the concept of policy fashion as an analytical framework; this powerful concept promises to provide a meaningful explanation for Korea's experience with New Public Management (NPM). Under the Kim Dae-Jung administration (1998)(1999)(2000)(2001)(2002), Korea experimented with drastic system change that was almost unprecedented in its range and depth (Kim 2005). However, the Roh Moo-Hyun administration (2003)(2004)(2005)(2006)(2007) reversed many of its predecessor's policies, which had been largely driven by an NPM rationale.…”