Writing 7,000 Appointment Letters by Hand in One Year
A rare civil servant called 'Pilgyeongsa' (筆耕士), who writes appointment letters in the name of the President and stamps the national seal, will be selected.
Announcement for Hiring Pilgyeongsa Who Writes 'Presidential Appointment Letters'... The Fifth Pilgyeongsa Position in History
Former Officer Kim Ijung, a copyist, writing the presidential appointment letter. [Image source=KBS news screen capture]
On the 2nd, the Ministry of Personnel Management announced that it will hire one Personnel Records Specialist Category B (Pilgyeongsa) from August 8 to 13. Pilgyeongsa is responsible for writing appointment letters for national officials from grade 5 civil servants to the Prime Minister in brush calligraphy. Specifically, the duties include ▲writing appointment letters in the name of the President ▲stamping the presidential seal and national seal ▲maintaining and managing government personnel records ▲managing appointment letter award ceremonies. Once appointed, the retirement age applies.
The qualification requirements include having at least 2 years of experience as a civil servant in the same or equivalent position as the one to be appointed, or having at least 3 years of research or work experience in a related field in the private sector. Additionally, candidates who have obtained a master's degree in art or calligraphy, or who have a bachelor's degree in a related field plus at least 2 years of work or research experience in the related field, or those with a junior college degree plus at least 3 years of experience are eligible. Those who pass the document screening must also undergo a practical test evaluating their appointment letter writing skills, including Korean script style, character arrangement, and completeness.
Failed to Hire Last Year as Well... "The Rarest Job Category Among South Korean Civil Servants"
Former clerk Kim Yi-jung, a court clerk who appeared on the 2020 tvN variety show 'You Quiz on the Block.' [Image source='You Quiz on the Block' YouTube video capture]
Since its establishment in 1962, Pilgyeongsa has been considered the rarest job category among South Korean civil servants, with only four people having held the position over 62 years. The reason for hiring a new Pilgyeongsa this year is that the third Pilgyeongsa, former officer Kim I-jung, retired last year due to personal reasons. Kim entered the Department of Calligraphy at Keimyung University College of Fine Arts in 1993 and was recognized for his experience as an instructor at calligraphy academies before entering public service in 2003.
Kim gained attention in 2020 when he appeared on the tvN variety show 'You Quiz on the Block.' Like the meaning of 'Pilgyeong,' which means 'plowing the field with a brush,' writing appointment letters by hand symbolizes the sincerity of the appointing authority. Approximately 4,000 to 7,000 appointment letters for officials grade 5 and above are issued annually. During Kim's tenure, the number of handwritten official documents exceeded 60,000.
Currently, the fourth Pilgyeongsa, officer Kim Dong-hoon, is handling the work alone. Last year, the Ministry of Personnel Management also attempted to hire a successor to former officer Kim but postponed the selection. Although 21 candidates applied, and 8 passed the document screening, no suitable candidate was found after interviews and appointment letter writing skill evaluations.
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