As of 2016, there are 321 public institutions, with debts of 505 trillion won as of the end of 2015. With total spending amounting to 549.6 trillion won, nearly 146% of total government spending (375.4 trillion won), the weight of public institutions on Korea’s national economy is continuing to grow. Nevertheless, the lack of financial and business information on public institutions is making it difficult to conduct in-depth deliberations at the parliamentary level compared to at the government level. Although external complaints are sporadically posted on the All Public Information In-One (ALIO) website and on the websites of the public institutions and the Board of Audit and Inspection, there is little structured information provided through which changes and trends related to major issues over recent years may be drawn. In particular, no meaningful information is provided for usage in deliberations on major national fiscal programs by the National Assembly Standing Committees or the parliamentary National Audit.
   Against this backdrop, the National Assembly Budget Office published the Issues Briefing on Public Institutions 2016 to provide preemptive support for the National Audit which is part of efforts to enhance the management efficiency and ensure effective control of the management of public institutions.
   This report discusses issues regarding schemes and policies for public institutions such as their functional adjustment, management evaluation, performance-based annual salary initiative, wage peak system and debts. The report also selected 39 public institutions subject to review by 10 Committees out of a total of 16 Standing Committees, six of which were excluded as their responsibilities did not include public institutions or key issues regarding such institutions, and highlighted various issues that the National Assembly Budget Office deemed important along with external criticisms made by the National Assembly, the Board of Audit and Inspection, the Ministry of Strategy and Finance, and others.