Overseas Staffing

U.S. Economic, Commercial, and Agricultural Staffing in Japan and Korea Gao ID: NSIAD-92-162 April 24, 1992

This report discusses staffing at U.S. embassies and their consulates in Japan and Korea, two leading U.S. trading partners. Believing that the economic health of the United States and its competitiveness in world markets will strongly affect U.S. national security into the next century, the State Department has committed itself to a greater role in promoting economic and commercial interest overseas. Despite increases in staffing in Japan and Korea, embassy and consulate employees said that they could do only limited analyses and reporting and could not fully address all important trade and economic issues. Budget constraints have also limited the hiring of additional staff and have restricted travel needed to address these issues. While U.S. business representatives also believe that the embassies need additional resources and should provide more support to U.S. companies. They also believe that other countries, such as Germany and France, are providing more support in promoting exports than does the United States.

GAO found that: (1) during fiscal years 1989 to 1991, authorized commercial and agricultural section staffing increased by 13 percent in Japan and Korea, and authorized economic section staffing increased by 2 positions; (2) as of October 1991, the U.S. embassy and consulates in Japan had 113 authorized and foreign national staff positions in the economic, commercial and agricultural section with 9 positions vacant; (3) in Korea, the U.S. embassy and consulate had 41 authorized American and foreign national staff with 2 positions vacant; (4) as of March 1992, one position in Japan and five positions in Korea were filled; (5) despite increases in staffing, embassy consulate staff reported that they could only perform limited analyses and reporting and could not fully address all important trade and economic issues; and (6) U.S. business representatives stated that, overall, embassies have taken a greater interest in commercial affairs and are addressing trade barriers and resolving individual company concerns, but believe that embassies need additional resources and should provide more support to U.S. companies.

Recommendations

Our recommendations from this work are listed below with a Contact for more information. Status will change from "In process" to "Open," "Closed - implemented," or "Closed - not implemented" based on our follow up work.

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