![Gumi City skyline. [Photo: Gumi City]](https://contents-cdn.viewus.co.kr/image/2026/03/CP-2023-0070/image-8d9d87f8-741a-4e4e-a811-517d7b1e112e.jpeg)
Gumi City said the Ministry of the Interior and Safety designated it an \"excellent institution,\" the highest rating in the 2025 Comprehensive Evaluation of Proactive Governance by Local Governments.
The evaluation examined the full process in detail, from institutional reforms to citizen perceptions.
Gumi significantly expanded the number of civil servants it recognizes as outstanding and introduced bold incentives—special promotions, performance‑evaluation points, and overseas training—to shift the public service toward a performance‑driven culture.
City officials say the \"Proactive Administration Mileage System,\" which even rewards routine collaboration, did more than establish a program: it changed how work is carried out.
They also put in place robust protections to enable proactive action. By appointing what it calls a first‑of‑its‑kind Proactive Administration Immunity Officer, providing litigation‑cost support, and operating a pre‑consultation system, Gumi targeted a long‑standing culture of risk aversion—public servants too fearful of audits to act.
Kim Jang-ho, mayor of Gumi, said, \"This achievement reflects the efforts of about 1,800 public servants who have treated citizens' inconveniences as their own. Through proactive governance, we will protect officials' principled decision‑making and ensure clear rewards for performance.\"
