[In-Depth Look] The Hidden Issues Behind Regular Employee Conversion Problems

Professor Kim Ik-seong, Dongduk Women's University · President of the Asia-Europe Future Studies Association

The government set a goal in July 2017 to convert 205,000 non-regular workers in 853 public institutions to regular positions by 2020 to ensure employment stability and improve human rights. Currently, the achievement rate is about 94.2% of the target. The conversion targets include cleaning, security, cafeteria cooks, and facility management tasks. It is reported that a Blue House petition opposing the regularization of Incheon Airport Corporation employees has surpassed 200,000 signatures. Many job seekers and existing regular union members are opposing this.

The main issue is the unfair preferential treatment. Last year, the competition rate for hiring 35 regular employees at Incheon Airport Corporation was reportedly as high as 156 to 1. In this regard, the claim of reverse discrimination has some merit. This is because the selection process did not follow the long-standing Korean societal norms and order of examinations.

Conflicts among those subject to regularization cause another problem. Since President Moon Jae-in’s first visit after his election in May 2017, those who joined as non-regular employees before that date are converted to regular positions through the usual procedures of 'document screening, personality test, qualification test, and interview.' The remaining approximately 800 people who joined after May 13, 2017, must compete publicly just like general job seekers to be hired as regular employees. They have been performing the same life- and safety-related duties as their colleagues who joined earlier, up to the present day.

Their demands, claiming discriminatory treatment, also have some validity. Moreover, there is even conflict among labor groups. The pie is the same size, but the number of people to share it has increased. In public institutions, the total annual budget for personnel expenses and welfare benefits is limited. Ultimately, it is clear that this must be covered by taxpayers’ money.

Although the government’s claims may be somewhat exaggerated, this regularization process clearly did not fully and clearly adhere to the above guidelines. The timing, method, and communication and promotion of the policy were not perfect. It might have been more justifiable to hold open competitions for non-regular workers and job seekers while awarding additional points based on relevant career periods.

It is hoped that this opportunity will also improve social perceptions and treatment of non-regular workers. In some corporate workplaces, despite performing the same tasks continuously, regular and non-regular workers are differentiated. Preventing non-regular employees from using the company cafeteria or shuttle buses and assigning them the most arduous and difficult tasks is an unjust human rights violation. Even in large companies with active unions, the grievances of non-regular workers are thoroughly neglected by those unions.

There are jobs in Korea where one takes a single exam, becomes a regular employee, and then wields power over others throughout their life. This is why discriminatory perceptions between regular and non-regular workers exist in Korean society. In a country where academic background and occupation are decided by a single exam in youth, and this functions as human differentiation?i.e., without fierce competition?there is no innovation. Young people who stake their lives on one exam need a new career process where they can calmly build experience and eventually achieve success.

Regular employment that guarantees life does not strictly exist in private companies. However, in the public sector, one can endure life without being dismissed by passing a single exam or civil service test and without intense competition. It is necessary to introduce internal and external competition systems gradually in public institutions, as is done overseas.

In fact, deeply underlying this regularization issue is Korea’s one-time exam-based selection system, the resulting human differentiation, and the retirement system that guarantees lifelong employment security. It is no exaggeration to say that it is time to reform these.