Gwangju City Appoints Lawyer Jeon Se-jeong as New Legal Affairs Officer

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Park Seon-gang] Gwangju Metropolitan City announced that it appointed lawyer Jeon Se-jeong (51) as the new Legal Affairs Officer (Grade 4) selected through an open recruitment process, effective on the 25th.

Legal Affairs Officer Jeon Se-jeong graduated from Korea University with a degree in law and passed the 45th Judicial Examination in 2003. She has worked as a lawyer for 15 years and is well known for her high expertise not only in civil and criminal cases but also in large-scale private investment projects.

Former Legal Affairs Officer Jeon has actively engaged in protecting the rights of socially disadvantaged groups and citizens, having served as a public defender at the Supreme Court, a public representative at the Constitutional Court, and as legal counsel for the Gwangju branch of the Korean Women’s Consumer Union.

Since the 7th elected administration, Gwangju City has seen a significant increase in large public projects directly related to citizens’ lives, such as the urban park private special project, the construction of subway line 2, and the Gwangju-type lifelong housing project. Along with strengthened policies related to the protection of children, women, and youth rights and the enhancement of citizens’ right to know, related disputes (administrative appeals and administrative lawsuits) have increased and become more complex.

Accordingly, Gwangju City designated the Legal Affairs Officer position, which had been handled by a general civil servant (Grade 4 secretary), as an open position last year to efficiently respond to various disputes.

The open position is appointed through legal procedures in accordance with the “Regulations on the Operation of Open Positions and Recruitment Positions in Local Governments (Presidential Decree).”

For this Legal Affairs Officer open position, a selection committee of five members, including external experts such as professors and lawyers, conducted document screening and interviews for nationwide applicants, selecting two candidates for appointment and notifying the city personnel committee.

The city personnel committee comprehensively evaluated the careers, capabilities, and suitability of the two candidates for the Legal Affairs Officer position and recommended lawyer Jeon Se-jeong as the first choice to the mayor (appointing authority). Mayor Lee Yong-seop made the final decision to appoint Jeon Se-jeong as the top candidate.

Kim Jong-hwa, the city’s Personnel Policy Officer, said, “The appointment of a capable lawyer as Legal Affairs Officer is expected to strengthen the overall legal support function for departments. We will conduct more thorough legal validity reviews of various public projects and citizen rights improvement policies in the second half of the 7th elected administration to enhance the completeness of various policies and projects.”