The government said Thursday that it had awarded merits to 26,602 people last year – nearly double the number given out in 2013 and the highest number since 1954.

According to the Ministry of Interior, the number of merits have been on the rise over the past few years. In 2013, 13,601 merits were awarded and 21,669 in 2014.

Last year's figure -- 26,602 merits -- is the highest since the Korean government was established in 1948, with the exception of 1954 when the government decorated war veterans from the 1950-53 Korean War and gave out 72,903 merits.

The surge in the number of merits is mainly due to an increase in retired civil workers.

Regulations state that government officials who have worked for 33 years or more without being punished for wrongdoing, such as bribery, are entitled to receive order of service merits upon retirement.

Last year, 22, 981 such individuals received order of service merits, accounting for 86 percent of the total number of merits given out. 

The other 11 government-issued merits saw a relatively modest increase from 2,921 in 2013 to 3,621 last year.

The state-led reform on the government workers’ pension program has sparked an outward rush of civil servants in the past two years. The pension program reform raised monthly subscription fees and reduced the benefits that one receives upon retirement.

In 2014, the government paid 2.27 trillion won ($1.88 billion) in severance pay for its employees, the highest amount seen so far.

By Yoon Min-sik (minsikyoon@heraldcorp.com)