The Finance Ministry published a position paper Thursday outlining its "mission" and "policy objectives" for the first time in its 131-year history, ahead of the government's major restructuring in January.

The paper, available on the ministry's Web site, defines its mission as conducting administrative work with "high efficiency and transparency" by taking into account the "viewpoint of people as taxpayers."

The ministry, criticized for a series of bribery scandals and its long-standing, collusive relationship with politicians and corporate leaders, has tried to win public trust by siding with the standpoint of taxpayers, political analysts say.

The ministry pledges in the paper to work out "drastic measures for structural reforms in fiscal policy" and to "disclose accurate information to the markets."

The ministry also said that it will introduce a self-appraisal system in which independent experts regularly check on its policy steps, with the results to be published in a white paper.

The ministry will invite public comments on the paper for the next three weeks and unveil a formal position paper when it makes a fresh start on Jan. 6, ministry officials said.