Any Solutions for Chronic Complainants at Gangnam District Office Who Exploit Welfare Budget by Nitpicking Staff Attitudes?

Seongcheol Im, Head of Seoul Branch of the Integrated Public Officials Labor Union, Criticizes Gangnam-gu Office Workers for Being Infinitely Weak Against Troublesome Complaints in Post on Gangnam-gu Union Board on the 30th... Condemns Shameless People Driving Foreign Cars While Taking from the Needy... Reports Welfare Policy Department Gave Over Tens of Millions of Won to Mr. L Two Years Ago, Causing Damage to Over 10 People... Also Notes Resident Center Staff Look Down on Complainants, Recently Paid Emergency Welfare Support Worth 1.5 Million Won to Mr. B Who Does Not Even Live in the Area

[Asia Economy Reporter Jong-il Park] “What I have felt over the past three years as the head of the welfare team is that whenever I deal with chronic and troublesome complaints, I feel so diminished. I know why, but being dragged around by those in power and having to pull in nonexistent budgets to distribute is not something a public official should be doing.”

This is part of a post titled ‘Gangnam-gu Office Public Officials Infinitely Weak Against Troublesome and Chronic Complaints~’ uploaded on the union bulletin board in Gangnam-gu by Lim Seong-cheol, head of the Seoul branch of the Integrated Public Officials Labor Union, on the 30th.

Lim said, “The welfare I know is about giving dreams and hope (希望) to those in need and providing opportunities for them to become self-reliant, thereby improving their quality of life,” adding, “The problem is that the Gangnam-gu Office budget, which is supposed to give dreams and hope to these people, is being entirely devoted to troublesome and chronic complaints.”

He lamented the reality that even if the person in charge says it is against regulations, once a request for a meeting with the director or chief is made, they have no choice but to help.

In particular, Lim expressed indignation at the attitude of those who seek comfort on the side of shameless people who ride foreign luxury cars and brazenly take what belongs to the less fortunate.

He criticized that the Welfare Policy Division gave tens of millions of won to a person named L two years ago and has continued to pay, causing damage to more than ten people. He also expressed regret that today, an emergency welfare support fund worth about 1.5 million won was paid to B, who does not even reside in the area, while the complainant looks down on the employees of the local community center.

He criticized that the commonality between these two people is that they are well-known troublesome and chronic complainants within the district office.

They get upset over employees’ attitudes, language, and tone rather than regulations, and use the audit officer to harass staff. In the case of B, on the 25th and 26th, the community center conducted a fact-finding investigation and received five certificates from neighbors confirming non-residence, and on the night of the 28th, they also had a resident confirmation stating that B moved in late.

During the process of confirming non-residence, it was found that even after the expiration of the Korea Land and Housing Corporation (LH) purchase lease period last year, they continued to register as residents, and they are also preparing for an eviction lawsuit.

Lim said, “Even though we submitted the non-residence facts and the community center’s opinion the day before, the district office says they will designate the emergency welfare recipient,” explaining that the reason was that the district office staff met the complainant on-site that morning.

The community center staff have a knack for making fools of themselves in an instant. It’s absurd.

Currently, the complainant is waiting for disciplinary action against the community center staff, so they cannot go anywhere and are holding their position. Who should be audited? This is the reality of the 7th local government administration, he concluded.