The number of public servants is expected to surpass 1 million this year as the government seeks to increase police and public security staff.

The Ministry of Security and Public Administration announced a revised bill Saturday that raises the upper limit to the number of public servants hired by central administrative offices, by 200,000 to 293,982.

The planned increase excludes those working at the National Assembly, the Board of Audit and Inspection, courts, the prosecution, schools and education institutions.

“Raising the upper limit is part of new administration’s pledge to increase the number of public officers including police, firefighters and social workers,” an official from the MSPA said.

As of last November 988,755 public officials were working at the legislative, executive and judiciary branches.

Those at administrative authorities take up 62 percent of the total.

According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, an organization of 34 advanced and emerging nations, 1.4-million workers serve at the general government and public corporations in Korea including central and local governments and non-profit organizations, taking up 5.7 percent of the economically active population.

The percentage is around a third of the average of the OECD member nations.

By Kim Young-won (wone0102@heraldcorp.com)