[Leaving the National Assembly Staff①] "Recognized for Ability, Moving to Better Conditions"

Legislative Aides Increasingly Moving to Companies... High Demand from Startups and Coin-Related Firms
Corporate Desire for Personal Networks Aligns with Individuals' Priorities on Work-Life Balance and Salary
Preference for 5th Grade Secretaries and Industry Committee Roles Handling Corporate Affairs

The view of the National Assembly Building in Yeouido, Seoul (Photo by Geum Bo-ryeong)

[Asia Economy Reporters Kum Boryeong, Lee Hyunju, Kwon Hyunji] "These days, there has been a noticeable increase in the number of National Assembly aides moving to corporations. They go to places where their abilities are recognized and the treatment is better."

Mr. A, an aide to a member of the National Assembly, recently expressed a bittersweet feeling as he heard more news of colleagues leaving the Assembly. Although the legislative branch's authority has become stronger than before and the influence of aides has grown accordingly, he believes that talent ultimately moves following vision and financial rewards.

The departure of aides who support lawmakers behind the scenes has become more prominent recently. According to National Assembly aide recruitment announcements, from the 1st of last month to the 21st of this month, the number of recruits for positions such as secretaries and senior secretaries (grades 4 to 6) totaled 40. This figure excludes recruitment announcements for by-elections, re-elections, and proportional representation succession members. There have also been cases of aides moving to the Presidential Office and local governments following the presidential and local elections in the first half of this year. However, a notable recent trend is aides moving to corporations to increase their 'market value.' A senior aide said, "I know of at least a dozen cases."

Especially among aides from the People Power Party, which became the ruling party, corporations are significantly increasing their hiring. This is because the regime changed, and the People Power Party also won the local elections, increasing the demand. An aide affiliated with the People Power Party said, "Recently, I received calls from two companies a day asking if I could recommend secretaries for government relations work," adding, "There is high demand from startups and cryptocurrency-related companies that the National Assembly is considering regulating."

Companies Seeking Former National Assembly Aides

The movement of aides to corporations occurs because the interests of companies and aides align. They mainly handle 'government relations' work in companies. Based on the networks they previously held, they assist in the enactment and revision of laws affecting corporate activities or convey the voices from the industry field. From the aides' perspective, they choose to move to corporations valuing so-called 'work-life balance' over a sense of mission.

Companies especially value their 'networks.' The more current aides they know, the more offices of lawmakers they can access. Last year, POSCO hired aides who were former presidents of Minbohyeop (Democratic Party Aide Association) and Gukbohyeop (People Power Party Aide Association), respectively.

Mr. B, who is in charge of government relations at a large corporation, explained, "The essential competency for government relations work is networking. If a company assigns this work to an internal employee, it takes quite a long time to build networks because they lack connections in the National Assembly. However, former aides can skip that step and be immediately deployed to practical work."

Among companies, grade 5 secretaries are more popular than grade 4 senior secretaries. Mr. C, who is responsible for government relations at another company, said, "Grade 5 secretaries in their mid-to-late 30s, who have accumulated some experience in the National Assembly and formed networks, and whose salary and rank are easier to match, are preferred."

There is also a high preference for aides who served on standing committees related to corporations, such as the Industry, Trade, Small and Medium Enterprises and Startups Committee. A government relations officer said, "Aides who worked on committees related to corporations have knowledge of the entire industry and know-how from collaborating with the government, so there is an expectation that they will serve as a 'bridge.'"

Photo by Getty Images Bank

'Work-Life Balance,' Salary, and Job Stability: The Three Essentials

Aides moving to corporations say that work-life balance, or 'Wolabal,' cannot be ignored. The workload in the National Assembly is quite intense, with working day and night during election periods or parliamentary audit seasons. Mr. D, an aide who moved to a startup, said, "During elections, it is reality to live in the region for weeks to months and work from the moment I open my eyes until I close them, checking various things," adding, "Before the parliamentary audit season every autumn, I start worrying and checking what materials to review from summer, making it hard even to schedule appointments. Running non-stop made me exhausted, and I wanted to catch my breath."

It is also difficult to keep regular working hours even outside of events like elections or audits. The official working hours for aides are from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., but these can change anytime depending on the lawmaker's schedule. If there are meetings or gatherings in the lawmaker's schedule, aides often come in earlier and leave later to review materials.

'High salary' is also a major consideration for changing jobs. National Assembly aides, who are special appointed public officials, mostly consist of grades 4 to 9. Since they are classified as public officials, their pay is naturally based on public official regulations. For grade 5 secretaries, who are most preferred by companies, the annual salary including bonuses is around 70 million KRW. Although it varies, it is known that companies offer about 100 million KRW annually.

Mr. E, a former aide who moved to a large corporation, explained, "You have to buy a house, get married, and raise children, so the attraction of a high salary is irresistible," adding, "Looking around, many cases moved to corporations after comparing treatment."

Some also leave for corporations seeking a 'stable job.' Lawmakers are elected every four years through general elections, so if the lawmaker they work with loses, they naturally lose their job. They may not receive party nominations, or even if they do, they might lose to the opponent, making the job unstable. Even if elected, if the lawmaker changes the standing committee, they may replace aides with those specialized in the relevant field, so there is a possibility of losing the job overnight.

Mr. F, a People Power Party aide who moved to a large corporation, said, "During the 21st general election, the People Power Party lost many seats to the Democratic Party, so many seniors and juniors suddenly ended up on the streets," adding, "If there are 300 lawmakers, it is like having 300 small companies, and since the lawmaker is the boss, hiring is at their discretion, so it is hard to see it as a stable job." He continued, "At a large corporation, employment stability is guaranteed, so you don't have to worry about sudden layoffs or election seasons."