South Korean diplomats resign after government-funded overseas training

South Korean diplomats are increasingly resigning shortly after completing government-funded overseas training, bypassing mandatory service requirements. According to data provided by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to Representative Lee Ki-heon, four diplomats failed to fulfill their service obligations over the past three years, resulting in the recovery of 334.1 million won in training costs.

In several instances, officials resigned almost immediately after returning. One official resigned the day after completing two years of training in the US and UK, while another resigned just 26 days after returning from a year-long program in the US. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs spends between 4 billion and 4.7 billion won annually to send approximately 35 employees to countries including the US, UK, China, and Japan for professional development.

Critics argue that even when funds are recovered, the loss of specialized diplomatic talent and the deprivation of training opportunities for other civil servants represent a significant loss to the national interest. Representative Lee has called for stricter verification of service commitment during the selection process to prevent further waste of taxpayer money.