"Do Not Use Public Procurement Service Materials... If Document Approval Evidence Is Difficult, Record the Conversation"
Governor Kim: "Issue Work Orders in the Presence of Department Heads... Employee Statements Differ from Facts"
As allegations of misconduct involving Kim Gi-woong, the governor of Seocheon County in Chungnam, and some public officials have surfaced, prompting an audit by Chungnam Province, controversy arose on the 28th when an employee posted a critical message about Governor Kim on the county office's internal bulletin board.
With allegations of illegal conversion of farmland and forest land added to the misconduct suspicions against Governor Kim, concerns are being raised that his leadership as a governor responsible for maintaining public service discipline has reached its limits.
According to a comprehensive report by Asia Economy on the 28th, a public official identified as A posted on the county office's Saeol Administrative System free bulletin board under the title “A few words to assist the public service life of the 8th elected term” and presented seven public service life manuals for the 8th elected term.
A stated, “Do not carry out the governor’s instructions,” and added, “Even though I endured the painful process with all my passion and sincerity and completed the tasks, I was reprimanded.”
He continued, “In May, under the governor’s instructions, a comprehensive inspection of state-owned land revealed unauthorized occupation within the forest bathing area. We took administrative measures to encourage voluntary removal and restoration, but the governor said, ‘If you handle it like that, it’s just what I ordered.’”
He then emphasized, “Even if the governor uses words like ‘yam-ma’ or ‘mwon-ma’ and speaks disparagingly to employees, endure it silently.”
A said, “An external ICT expert invited by the governor said that building the CCTV system the governor wants is illegal due to security issues in government offices,” and “When I explained the practical limitations of the instructions, the governor retorted, ‘Do you think you can get promoted if you work like this?’”
He also said, “The governor often confuses the instructions and related departments, repeatedly reprimanding you endlessly, but you must listen steadfastly and respond with ‘yes.’ When I found an error in the instructions and confirmed with the previous team leader that the instruction was never given, I reported it, and the governor said, ‘Let’s see after the project is over, get out!’ Hearing this, I was so grateful that I said, ‘Please proceed as is.’”
A wrote, “Since the governor thinks negatively about government-supplied materials, the project promotion department should avoid using Public Procurement Service government-supplied materials as much as possible.”
He added, “The project promotion department should obtain additional signatures proving approval on various final report meetings and implementation resolution official documents, or if that is difficult, record the conversations. Do not offer direct or candid advice to the governor regarding work.”
In response, Governor Kim Gi-woong told reporters in a phone interview, “I govern my beloved employees with my heart; why would I say such things? I gave work instructions in the presence of department heads,” and stated, “The employee’s statements are not true.”
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