Strengthening the Effectiveness of Employee Disciplinary Actions... Confirmation of the Amendment to the 'Local Public Institutions Personnel and Organization Guidelines'

Improvement of Protection for Victims of Workplace Sexual Crimes and Stalking Crimes

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] The Ministry of the Interior and Safety announced that it has finalized the revised "Personnel and Organization Guidelines for Local Public Institutions," which strengthen the 'ethical management' of local public institutions, and will implement them starting from the 24th.

According to the Ministry on the 23rd, the revised Personnel and Organization Guidelines for Local Public Institutions reflect the recommendations of the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission by establishing new regulations prohibiting employees under suspension from coming to work, excluding them from duties, and withholding wages. It also strengthens the effectiveness of disciplinary actions by allowing the reduction of severance pay (up to half) for executives dismissed due to misconduct such as sexual violence, hiring irregularities, and bribery. Additionally, when retired executives and employees of local public institutions are re-employed by affiliated companies, a screening committee must be formed.

Institutions are required to establish systems and procedures for reporting and handling workplace sexual crimes, stalking crimes, and harassment. New regulations have been introduced to ensure victim protection, measures against perpetrators, and preventive education. Further revisions to the guidelines will be pursued in accordance with future amendments to higher-level laws.

The qualifications of members of the executive recommendation committee and the scope of recommended executive candidates will be aligned with local public enterprise laws. To ensure procedural fairness in committee operations, provisions on disqualification, recusals, and avoidance have been revised to align with the purpose of the system, and the requirement for institutions to establish their own regulations regarding disciplinary actions and suspension from duties has been supplemented.

The finalized revision will be notified to each local government and local public institution on the 24th. Support will be provided to ensure that each local public institution promptly revises its own regulations accordingly, and thorough inspections will be conducted through management evaluations.

Choi Byung-kwan, Director of the Local Finance and Economy Office at the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, stated, “We expect that the revised Personnel and Organization Guidelines for Local Public Institutions will enhance the public nature and ethics of local public institutions.” He added, “We will strive to ensure the swift establishment of the revised guidelines through close cooperation with each local government and local public institution.”