Director with one month left before retirement transferred from main office to secure promotion T.O in the assembly
Two director-level positions to be filled by officials with 6 months remaining in July regular personnel reshuffle
Concerns o
Nam-gu, Gwangju Metropolitan City, is drawing criticism as public officials who are retiring in one month are being transferred, and those retiring in six months are scheduled to be appointed as directors (Grade 4) in the July regular personnel reshuffle.
There are also criticisms that this is a populist personnel move that could undermine administrative continuity and expertise.
According to Nam-gu on the 29th, Director A, who has one month left before retirement, moved from the Secretariat of the Nam-gu Council to the Economic, Cultural, and Environmental Bureau of Nam-gu on the 19th. Although the personnel authority of the council was made independent following the full revision of the Local Autonomy Act in January last year, personnel exchanges are possible under an agreement made to ensure fair personnel management.
While there is no regulatory issue, looking behind the scenes, this can be seen as a loophole. If Director A retires as the Secretariat Director of the Nam-gu Council, a promotion T.O. (turnover opportunity) will open up in the council, so this urgent personnel exchange is to retire Director A from Nam-gu and create a T.O. in Nam-gu.
Furthermore, Nam-gu is expected to fill the vacant director positions with public officials who are six months away from retirement through promotions and transfers in the July personnel reshuffle, following the 'one-month director' case.
In the July regular personnel reshuffle, two director-level positions in Nam-gu will become vacant. One position arises as Deputy Mayor Lee Hyun applies for honorary retirement in July, and under the personnel exchange agreement with Gwangju City, the city will dispatch a deputy mayor while Nam-gu must send a Grade 4 public official. The other position becomes vacant due to retirement.
These two positions are expected to be filled by Director B, who was dispatched for one year as the Administrative Director of the National Association of Mayors, County Heads, and District Heads, and by Manager C, who is being promoted.
The problem is that both Director B and Manager C are scheduled to enter the public service retirement preparatory leave at the end of this year. Retirement preparatory leave is a system where, starting one year before mandatory retirement, employees receive a certain salary such as base pay but do not come to work and instead engage in self-development.
Ultimately, Mr. B and Mr. C will become directors but will leave their posts vacant again six months later, requiring another personnel reshuffle. This is why concerns are raised about the potential decline in administrative continuity and expertise.
Some argue that Director A could have extended his term until the end of this year, but retired early because Manager C needed to be promoted to director. Manager C was appointed in 1989, one year earlier than Director A, who was appointed in 1990, and this is seen as a form of compensation for a long period of public service.
Gu Isik, Secretary-General of Participatory Autonomy 21, said, "Of course, administration is also about people living their lives, so it may be understandable as a form of compensation, but it must be done within the scope that does not infringe on citizens' interests," adding, "Since this case causes administrative gaps for personal compensation and significantly harms citizens' interests, it is hard to see it as desirable."
A Nam-gu official explained, "We understand the concerns, but since these individuals have served in public office for over 30 years, it does not take long for them to grasp their new duties even if they take on new positions," and added, "We will strive to minimize any possible administrative gaps."
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