Yeongdeungpo-gu Introduces 'Dedicated Manager System for Malicious Complainants' for Strong Response to Malicious Complaints

Implementation of 'Dedicated Manager System for Malicious Complainants' to Fully Protect Employees
Support for Complaint Handling through Formation of 'External Expert Pool' Including Administrative Agents and Lawyers
Strict Response to Malicious Complaints to Create a Safe Work Environment...Enhanced Protection Against Mental and Physical Threats

“Malicious Complaints, Managers Take Direct Action"

Yeongdeungpo-gu (Mayor Choi Ho-kwon) announced that it has prepared improvement measures for handling chronic and repetitive malicious complaints and will actively protect its public officials.

Recently, cases of extreme choices and public service withdrawal by officials due to malicious complaints have increased, emerging as a serious social issue. Last year, malicious complaints in Yeongdeungpo-gu accounted for 7.7% of all complaints, with a total of about 280 cases received, showing an increasing trend every year.

Accordingly, the district plans to make every effort to create a safe working environment by separating responses to general and malicious complaints to protect employees and improving the way complaint tasks are handled.

To improve the handling of chronic and repetitive malicious complaints, the district has prepared key measures such as ▲a dedicated manager system for malicious complainants ▲the formation of an external expert advisory pool to protect employees.

Implementation of Dedicated Manager System for Malicious Complainants

When a malicious complaint occurs, the department manager directly responds on behalf of the complaint handling staff. Experienced veteran managers such as team leaders and section chiefs (dong chiefs) actively respond to illegal acts such as loud noise, disturbance of work, and continuous verbal abuse and insults. If signs of physical threats such as verbal abuse or assault are detected, the manager will refuse meetings or order the complainant to leave, and if necessary, request police cooperation to strengthen protective measures for employees.

Formation of External Expert Advisory Pool

In addition, the district forms an ‘external expert advisory pool’ consisting of administrative officers and lawyers to enhance the credibility of complaint responses. Furthermore, a system has been established to take strict legal action, including criminal charges, when physical or mental illegal acts occur against employees due to threats or false and repetitive complaints.

Moreover, the district will actively continue support for employee protection by ▲systematizing internal closure procedures for repetitive complaints ▲expanding the distribution of protective equipment such as wearable cameras ▲introducing an automatic phone recording system.

Choi Ho-kwon, Mayor of Yeongdeungpo-gu, said, “When malicious complaints occur, I hope experienced senior employees will actively respond together to protect staff,” and added, “Protecting employees must come first to provide quality administrative services to residents. Starting with these improvement measures, we will do our best to create a safe working environment for our employees.”