Publication:
Korea's Move to e-Procurement

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2004-07
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2012-08-13
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In 1997 the Korean government began reforming its notoriously complicated, nontransparent, corrupt public procurement system, introducing e-procurement to exploit the country's well-developed information and communications infrastructure. Through extensive business process reengineering and information strategy planning, the Public Procurement Service-the agency formerly responsible for buying government goods and services-has been transformed into a one-stop information center. E-procurement has generated numerous benefits, including: Enhanced transparency and public trust-by reducing contacts between officials and suppliers and by sharing information between government agencies and the public. Increased managerial efficiency-by achieving economies of scale in procurement, with an estimated $2.5 billion a year in savings from the $26 million investment. This note analyzes how Korea achieved these outcomes, the lessons of its experience, and the challenges that remain for its e-procurement system.
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Cho, Junghun; Byeon, Hee Seok. 2004. Korea's Move to e-Procurement. PREM Notes; No. 90. © World Bank. http://hdl.handle.net/10986/11267 License: CC BY 3.0 IGO.
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