"Discrimination in Promotion Duration Between National and Local Public Officials Must Be Abolished"

Ministry of Personnel Management Drastically Reduces Promotion Time for National Civil Servants to Boost Enthusiasm and Morale... However, No Change in Local Civil Servants' Promotion Time Raises Relative Deprivation, Prompting Calls for Swift Revision

The revision of the Civil Service Appointment Decree, which shortens the required period for civil servant promotions, has passed the Cabinet meeting, drawing strong approval from national civil servants while local civil servants express a sense of relative deprivation, attracting attention.

The Ministry of Personnel Innovation announced that the amendment to the 'Civil Service Appointment Decree,' which shortens the minimum required years for promotion, passed the Cabinet meeting on December 19 last year and will be applied from January 31, 2024.

Accordingly, the period required for promotion from Grade 6 to Grade 5 will be reduced from 3 years and 6 months to 2 years, and from Grade 5 to Grade 4 will be shortened from 4 years to 3 years.

This regulation applies only to general civil servants in central government ministries, while local civil servants remain subject to the existing 'Local Civil Service Appointment Decree,' causing significant relative deprivation among local civil servants.

In particular, Seoul Metropolitan City and its 25 autonomous districts face higher work intensity compared to central government offices and the difficulty of dealing with general civil complaints, leading to strong opposition.

A Grade 5 manager, Mr. A, from one of Seoul’s autonomous districts said, “While the promotion period to Grade 4 has been shortened for central government civil servants, the regulation requiring 4 years for promotion from Grade 5 to Grade 4 remains unchanged for local civil servants,” and insisted, “The related regulations should be revised promptly to eliminate promotion discrimination between central and local civil servants.”

Another Grade 4 director, Mr. B, from a different autonomous district emphasized, “Promotion discrimination between central and local civil servants causes a sense of relative deprivation among local civil servants,” and added, “To provide fair promotion opportunities in the public service, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety should promptly revise the related regulations to prevent unjust treatment of civil servants, which is a task the Yoon Suk-yeol administration must undertake.”

The strong opposition from Seoul’s autonomous district civil servants regarding the difference in required years for promotion is interpreted as reflecting the considerable administrative workload in Seoul and its districts, as well as the significant morale boost it would provide to public officials awaiting promotion.

Reflecting this sentiment, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety is expected to soon initiate revisions to the related regulations, with calls to promptly amend them for those scheduled for promotion on July 1.

Another Grade 5 manager, Mr. C, from a Seoul autonomous district said, “I am scheduled for promotion to Grade 4 on July 1, but a few months shortfall makes it difficult,” and added, “Such unreasonable regulations must be revised as soon as possible.”