FSC named top performer under special merit bonus scheme

The Ministry of Interior and Safety announced Wednesday that it has selected the Financial Services Commission as the top-performing agency under the special merit bonus scheme and will present it with a special commendation award.

The special merit bonus is a system introduced this year for the first time to spread a performance-driven culture across the civil service. It was designed to identify civil servants who have delivered tangible results that the public can feel and to provide them with meaningful rewards.

The ministry runs two tracks: a year-end "regular commendation" and an "ad hoc commendation" that recognizes outstanding agencies as soon as exemplary cases are identified.

The ministry praised the FSC for faithfully putting the scheme's intent into practice — awarding bonuses to key contributors who led high-impact initiatives such as advancing the capital markets and supporting the financial recovery of vulnerable groups.

The FSC identified genuine contributors through a dual nomination process — open public recommendations alongside internal staff nominations — followed by multi-stage vetting by a review committee that included both internal officials and outside experts.

The commission also drew praise for building a performance-centered culture of recognition, including posting the achievements of past winners in an in-house "FSC Hall of Fame."

As the recipient of this round of ad hoc commendations, the FSC will receive a prize of 10 million won ($6,780).

Kim Min-jae, vice minister of the Ministry of Interior and Safety, said, "What the civil service needs is not simple praise, but proper recognition that accurately distinguishes performance and contribution." He added that the ministry would "continue to strengthen the management of the scheme so that performance is recognized precisely and rewards are given boldly, returning greater results to the public."