"No Need for Secure Government Jobs"... 1,769 Public Officials Retire Within a Year

On the morning of July 11, a test taker is checking the examination room at the national civil service level 9 written exam site set up at a middle school in Seo-gu, Gwangju. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Eun-young] Alongside the employment crisis, the number of early retirees among public officials?once called "iron rice bowls" and hailed as "divine jobs"?is reportedly increasing day by day.

According to data submitted by the Government Employees Pension Service to Park Wan-joo, a member of the National Assembly's Public Administration and Security Committee from the Democratic Party of Korea, a total of 28,934 public officials retired within less than five years of service and received severance pay over the past five years, accounting for 14.9% of all retirees.

In particular, in 2019, the number of retirees increased by 994 compared to the previous year, with a total of 6,664 public officials retiring. Among them, 1,769 officials had served less than one year, accounting for 26.5%.

Meanwhile, the number of complaints filed and accepted under the public officials' grievance review system has been increasing annually. This system allows public officials who have complaints regarding working conditions, personnel management, or other personal issues to request a grievance review from the responsible personnel authority to seek appropriate solutions.

According to the data, the number of grievance review requests, which was only 20 cases in 2017, increased slightly each year to 72 cases in 2018 and 122 cases in 2019. As of last year, a detailed look shows that issues related to promotion, transfer, and reassignment accounted for the largest number at 81 cases, followed by matters concerning salary and allowances and inappropriate behaviors such as power harassment and unfair work orders, each with 10 cases.

Some speculate that those who chose public service for a "life with evenings off" have felt a sense of disconnect as the reasons to endure low pay disappeared due to holiday work, frequent overtime, and the hardships of handling demanding civil complaints.

Assemblyman Park emphasized, "The Ministry of Personnel Management must make greater efforts to improve the conditions of the public service sector," adding, "We must devote all our efforts to resolving difficulties in working conditions and protecting the rights and interests of public officials."