The 2025 International Summer Conference of the Korean Association for Public Administration (KAPA) has been organized to reflect on the historical achievements of K-Administration(Korean Public Administration) and to explore sustainable and innovative directions for public administration amid the rapid transformations of our time. Through this conference, we aim to enhance the collective intelligence and academic capacity of the Korean public administration community and to develop a platform for sharing the K-Administration model with developing countries and the international society.

K-Administrationhas contributed significantly to national development, economic growth, the consolidation of democracy, and the advancement of digital governance, forging a distinct path of administrative evolution. However, today we face a convergence of complex challenges—political, economic, and social polarization; geopolitical tensions; supply chain disruptions; trade wars; technological competition; climate crises; and intensified global competition for talent. The growing threats of protectionism and geopolitical risk now demand a redefinition of state leadership and a fundamental rethinking of public governance.

In response to these pressing challenges, a fundamental diagnosis and structural innovation of our administrative system is imperative. Beyond the mere reorganization of ministries, there is an urgent need to redesign government structures and operational strategies to enhance sustainability and resilience. Population decline and regional depopulation, in particular, call for a redefinition of the functions and roles of public administration. An open, flexible governance system that fosters collaborative innovation is essential.

This year’s conference, held in conjunction with the beginning of a new governmental term, seeks to articulate a comprehensive vision for the future of K-Administration. Key agenda items include strategies for administrative innovation through artificial intelligence and digital technologies, fostering future public talent, and redefining public service values and ethics. In today’s context, the government is no longer a solitary executing agency but must function as a platform and coordinator that facilitates collaboration across multiple stakeholders.

To this end, we invite discussions on building an open, multi-layered innovation ecosystem that enables horizontal collaboration among central and local governments, the private sector, and civil society. Such a framework will be crucial in enhancing national innovation capacity grounded in local autonomy and creativity, and in establishing an agile administrative system capable of responding to compound crises. We look forward to your participation in this conference—a public forum for academic dialogue and practical engagement, and a celebration of the public mission and intellectual vigor of public administration.