Assemblywoman Choi Hye-young Discloses 'Status of Civil Servants Enrolled in Health Insurance'
12 Civil Servants Earning Secondary Income Exceeding 680 Million Won Annually
More than 10,000 public officials are reported to earn additional income exceeding 20 million KRW annually. It was also found that 12 public officials earn additional income amounting to about 700 million KRW per year.
According to the 'Status of Public Officials Enrolled in Health Insurance' data received by Rep. Choi Hye-young of the Democratic Party from the National Health Insurance Corporation on the 19th, as of November 2023, the number of workplace subscribers enrolled in public official workplaces (excluding dependents) was counted at 1,515,936. Looking at workplace subscribers by year, the numbers steadily increased: ▲2019 (1,421,397) ▲2020 (1,452,016) ▲2021 (1,488,405) ▲2022 (1,514,603).
Among them, those who earned additional income of 20 million KRW or more through means unrelated to their public official positions?such as ▲financial income (interest, dividends, etc.) ▲rental income ▲business income ▲other income?pay a separate insurance premium different from the health insurance premium. This is called the 'income monthly insurance premium,' and the number of public officials paying this premium was found to be 10,185. By year, the figures are ▲2019 (2,000) ▲2020 (2,519) ▲2021 (3,179) ▲2022 (9,080).
The income monthly insurance premium differs from the 'monthly wage insurance premium,' which divides the total annual salary by the number of months worked. Instead, it is levied separately on comprehensive income that sums interest income, stock dividend income, rental income, and other such earnings. Due to this characteristic, it is also called the 'insurance premium outside of salary.'
There is a cap on the income monthly insurance premium. In 2023, the cap for the income monthly insurance premium is 3,911,280 KRW per month, which is the same as the cap for the monthly wage insurance premium borne by workplace subscribers themselves. Applying last year's health insurance premium rate (7.09% of income) to calculate the comprehensive income, it amounts to 681.99 million KRW annually. When converted to monthly income, this is 56,832,500 KRW.
Twelve public officials earn more than 46,832,500 KRW monthly in additional income excluding their salary, generating nearly 700 million KRW annually, and pay the maximum income monthly insurance premium of 3.91 million KRW every month. As of October 2023, the total number of workplace health insurance subscribers who earn more than 20 million KRW annually in additional income and pay a separate income monthly insurance premium was counted at 607,226.
5,773 Public Officials Holding Concurrent Positions... Police Agency, Rural Development Administration, Ministry of Education in Order
According to the 'Status of Public Officials' Concurrent Position Permissions' data received by Rep. Song Jae-ho of the Democratic Party from the central government and local governments in October last year, as of 2022, 3,270 central government officials and 2,503 local government officials were granted permission for concurrent positions. Among 49 central government ministries, the ministry with the most concurrent positions was the Police Agency (581), followed by ▲Rural Development Administration (324) ▲Ministry of Education (254) ▲Ministry of Health and Welfare (191) ▲Ministry of Justice (164).
Regarding concurrent positions of public officials as stipulated in the National Public Officials Act and the Local Public Officials Act, strict regulations are in place concerning the prohibition of concurrent employment, and work aimed at continuous financial gain is also prohibited. This is because if public officials or executives of public organizations hold other positions related to their status, it may compromise the independence or fairness of their primary duties or lead to pursuing private interests. If engaging in profit-making work while avoiding related prohibitions, permission for concurrent positions must be obtained from the head of the affiliated institution.
In October last year, it was also revealed during an audit by the Board of Audit and Inspection that the science specialist YouTuber 'Gwedo,' who violated the concurrent position prohibition regulations and engaged in profit-making activities, voluntarily resigned from the Korea Foundation for the Advancement of Science and Creativity, causing a stir. Gwedo apologized on his YouTube channel, stating, "I deeply apologize for disappointing you due to violating the workplace concurrent position regulations," and added, "Following the personnel committee's decision, I received a suspension and my submitted resignation was accepted, resulting in my departure from the Foundation." The Board of Audit and Inspection reported that 'More Science,' in which Gwedo holds a 15% stake, generated sales of 686 million KRW in 2021 alone through paid advertisements and other income.
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