Interior ministry expands data protection staff across 31 agencies

The Ministry of the Interior and Safety said it will expand personal information and cybersecurity staffing across 31 central government agencies to better respond to growing digital threats driven by the rapid adoption of artificial intelligence and cloud services.

Under a presidential decree effective August 28, 2026, the government will secure 54 dedicated staff members for privacy and information security roles, marking the first such nationwide expansion in 11 years. Of the new positions, 39 are fresh hires while 15 will be filled by reallocating existing personnel.

The Ministry of the Interior and Safety will receive the largest increase, gaining six new specialists split between privacy and security functions. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport will add four privacy officers, while the National Police Agency and the Ministry of Justice will each see significant boosts. The Personal Information Protection Commission, which oversees national data policy, will also strengthen its ranks with five additional experts.

Song Kyung-hee, chairperson of the Personal Information Protection Commission, emphasized the strategic importance of the expansion. "We hope this staffing increase will serve as an opportunity for each ministry to build a system where they take full responsibility for inspecting and managing their respective fields," she said.

The decree amends organizational rules for the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and 35 other laws to formalize these changes. For the Sejong Administrative Complex Construction Authority, the total authorized staff count will rise from 140 to 142, with additions made to both general civil service grades and senior-level positions.

Presidential Decree No. 36631 mandates the implementation of these changes upon publication. The revision specifically targets the surge in large-scale, high-risk personal data processing resulting from the shift toward a platform economy, aiming to mitigate risks of data leaks and cyber intrusions into government information systems.