The Unification Ministry over the past five years has substantially increased its number of staff.

An audit released Monday said the ministry had 495 employees as of September 5th, up 28 percent from 2000.

Twenty-four staff were added in 2003 with the opening of the inter-Korean liaison office and another 27 joined after last year's launch of the Office of the Gaesong Industrial Complex Project.

With the rise in the number of North Korean defectors, the Settlement Support Center for Dislocated North Koreans has doubled its staff to 55.

The Permanent Office of the Inter-Korean Economic Cooperation and Social and Cultural Exchanges Bureau saw a similar increase over the period.

But the Office of South-North Dialogue has maintained the same number of staff despite a heavier workload.