Gwangju Science Museum's Disclosure of Employee Interview Content Sparks 'Lack of Human Rights Awareness' Controversy

29 Non-Regular Workers' Personal Interview Logs Including Private Life Exposed on Internal Network

Acting Director Publicly Apologizes 6 Days After Incident... Delayed Response Also Under Fire

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Park Jin-hyung] "I confided that another department was not cooperating, but all the employees found out. I'm a non-regular worker, so I can't speak strongly. What should I do...?"

Controversy has arisen as the interview logs of non-regular employees at the National Gwangju Science Museum have been fully disclosed. Since the logs include sensitive matters such as work-related difficulties, there are criticisms that the administrator's awareness of human rights is seriously lacking.

The Gwangju Science Museum conducted individual interviews with 29 science interpreters from the Science Culture Exhibition Headquarters Customer Service Team from February 22 to March 24 to listen to work-related difficulties.

The purpose was to hear concerns about the increased workload ahead of the official opening of the 'Gwahaknori-gwan' (Science Play Hall), the first children's science museum in the Honam region, and to establish a 'basic plan for efficient exhibition hall operation.'

The interpreters sympathized with the good intention and participated in the interviews, but about a month later, on the 1st, they were stunned.

The detailed 'individual interview logs' they confided to the interviewer were posted as-is on the internal network. Their real names were even mentioned.

An official said, "The interview logs containing sensitive complaints were disclosed with real names," and criticized, "I have never seen such irresponsible organizational management even in similar public institutions or private companies."

He added, "Because they are non-regular workers, they cannot properly raise their voices and have no choice but to be cautious. I hope a thorough investigation will clarify responsibility."

Despite this incident, the delayed response of the ultimate person in charge has also come under scrutiny. Acting Director Jeon took action to resolve the situation six days after the incident occurred.

Initially, the acting director did not perceive any particular problem, but as the labor union protested and the issue escalated, he held an employee meeting to publicly apologize and attended the relevant team's briefing time to persuade them by saying, "We will prepare countermeasures."

The Gwangju Science Museum is known to be accurately identifying the facts. However, whether to hold a disciplinary committee regarding this issue will be discussed once a formal director is appointed, as the current system is under an acting director.

A Gwangju Science Museum official said, "It is burdensome to exercise personnel authority while the director position is vacant," and added, "We will first conduct a thorough investigation and do our best to resolve the conflict."