ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the geographical and political context of South Korea, within which the Assessment Centers (ACs) have been developed. In the decades from the 1950s to the 1980s, the military strongly influenced the political, economic, and organizational systems, which endorsed the fast-paced, class-based, collective culture in South Korea. The chapter presents four case studies, which illustrate how the AC has been implemented in organizations that reflect the unique characteristics of the South Korean culture. For each case study, the job and purpose of the AC will be described, along with the key elements of the AC process such as competencies, exercises, and assessors. Competencies for the Ministry of Public Administration and Security (MOPAS) AC were defined during experts meetings based on the competency modeling, job analysis, and benchmarking of previous programs. Legislation was passed to improve the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MOFAT) for the purpose of improving the competencies of Foreign Affairs officials.
