Core Issues Like Wage Realignment and Workforce Supply Missing
"No Meaning Without Real Wage Increase"
From Grade 9 to 4 in 8 Years... "Unrealistic"
The government has taken steps to address the issues of MZ civil servants leaving and the working conditions of civil servants handling civil complaints, but there are ongoing criticisms from the field that the measures lack effectiveness. The reason cited is that the 'core' issues such as substantial wage increases and manpower supply are missing.
According to government departments on the 1st, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety and the Ministry of Personnel Management are preparing and implementing a 'Plan to Create Conditions for Concentrated Work for Civil Servants.' The plan includes raising the ranks of about 2,000 practical-level national civil servants below grade 6, shortening the minimum promotion period from grade 9 to grade 4 for local government civil servants from 9 years to 8 years, among other measures. It was also announced that civil servants handling special civil complaints will receive an additional allowance of 30,000 won.
However, civil servants working on the ground responded coldly, saying, "We don't know if this will be a practical measure." Kim (31), a local government civil servant, said, "The recent exodus from public service is related to compensation, especially wages," and added, "Unless there is a substantial wage increase, the government's announced measures are meaningless." Regarding measures for civil complaint civil servants, Kim said, "What is needed concerning civil complaints is actual protection or suppression measures, not allowances," and mentioned, "There needs to be mandatory guidelines that reject unreasonable or repetitive complaints or prevent complaints from being filed."
There were also criticisms that shortening the minimum service period for promotion from grade 9 to grade 4 from 13 years to 8 years is unrealistic. Lee (33), a local government civil servant, said, "I am in my 9th year and still at grade 8, and there are many grade 9 civil servants with 5 to 6 years of service around me. There are hundreds of grade 8 civil servants above me," adding, "Shortening the minimum service period is too unrealistic." He also added, "If it is possible to be promoted to grade 4 within 8 years, who would take the Administrative Examination?"
Criticism was also raised that the plan lacks content on the actual issue of manpower replenishment. Park Jung-bae, spokesperson for the National Civil Servants Union, said, "Positions that should have been filled by those who have reached grade 7 are now being taken by new grade 9 civil servants. Since they have to do difficult work, those who find it hard to endure will leave again," and urged, "The policy of reducing civil servant manpower should be abolished."
Regarding civil servant wage increases, an official from the Ministry of Personnel Management said, "We are making efforts to address the issue of wage normalization, but due to tight fiscal conditions, a drastic increase is difficult," and added, "We will try to realize better treatment, especially for low-ranking, junior practical civil servants." The government also emphasized that shortening the minimum promotion period will have an effect in the field. A Ministry of the Interior and Safety official said, "At the end of 2022, it took about 28 years for local government civil servants to be promoted from grade 9 to grade 4," and added, "Since this is about twice the current legal minimum period, there will be effects from the institutional improvement." Regarding the 'uselessness of the grade 5 Administrative Examination,' the official explained, "The examination system has its own purpose of recruiting young and competent middle managers into the public service."
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