As the 22nd National Assembly election approaches, issues regarding the mobilization of local government officials for election duties have resurfaced.
The National Election Commission announced that to enhance the transparency of the 22nd general election and prevent allegations of election fraud, it will introduce a ballot verification procedure in which individuals manually check each ballot during the voting and counting process.
Following this announcement, as plans to significantly increase the deployment of public officials and grant ballot management authority exclusively to them have been reported, public officials' unions nationwide, including those in Gyeongnam, have expressed strong opposition.
On the 23rd, the Gyeongnam Regional Headquarters of the Korean Government Employees' Union and others held a press conference at the Gyeongnam Provincial Government Press Center, urging for the improvement of the forced mobilization-style election duties that impose sacrifices on public officials.
The National Election Commission stated that to enhance the transparency of the 22nd general election and prevent allegations of election fraud, it will introduce a ballot verification procedure in which individuals manually check each ballot during the voting and counting process.
Upon learning that this process involves a significant increase in the deployment of public officials and that plans to grant ballot management authority exclusively to public officials are under consideration, public officials' unions nationwide, including those in Gyeongnam, have voiced their opposition.
The Public Officials' Union Gyeongnam Headquarters and others are holding a press conference condemning the mobilization of public officials for election work. [Photo by Lee Seryeong]
The Gyeongnam Headquarters of the Government Employees' Union stated, “As the election, which is called the flower of democracy, approaches, the hearts of our local government officials grow heavy,” adding, “During the last election, we demanded the cessation of forced mobilization of public officials for election duties and the adjustment of allowances, but no improvements have been made at all.”
They said, “More than 60% of election duties are handled by local government officials,” and “During the 21st general election, only 40% of the 326,000 election workers were private personnel.”
“For this election, about 3,800 personnel need to be deployed in Changwon alone, and we have received requests to mobilize about 3,000 of them as public officials,” they added, “It is likely the same in other local governments.”
“On election day, which is a temporary holiday, we cannot rest and must wake up at 4 a.m. to go to the site,” they appealed, “Before voting, we check preparations such as sealing ballot boxes; during voting, we intermittently report the number of completed votes; and after voting ends, we deliver the ballot boxes, which takes until after 8 p.m.”
“According to the 2024 government budget plan, election observers recommended by political parties receive 100,000 KRW for 6 hours, but election workers appointed from public officials and the general public receive 130,000 KRW for 14 hours,” they explained.
“The hourly wage for early morning work, heavy labor, and overtime is 9,290 KRW, which is less than the minimum wage of 9,860 KRW,” they raised their voices, “The counting work allowance is only 75,000 KRW, which is labor exploitation.”
Kang Su-dong, head of the Public Officials' Union Gyeongnam Branch, is speaking about mobilization for public officials' election work. [Photo by Lee Se-ryeong]
The union emphasized, “We are not refusing election duties but asking to be treated and recognized according to the work done,” and “Improvement of the treatment of election workers must be implemented immediately.”
They further demanded ▲payment of election duty allowances linked to the minimum wage ▲reduction of the appointment ratio of basic local government officials mobilized for election duties ▲expansion of private sector participation in election personnel ▲direct management of election posters and public relations by the Election Commission ▲correction of budget inequality between election observers and election workers.
Kang Su-dong, head of the Gyeongnam Headquarters of the Government Employees' Union, said, “Elections are not the duties of local government officials,” and “If the lukewarm response continues, we will collect signatures of refusal for election duty appointments from all public officials in the 18 cities and counties in the province for the April general election, and also receive resignations from secretaries and clerks in towns and townships, then submit them to the provincial and city/county election commissions.”
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