"72.3% of Local Governments Hope to Expand Part-Time Public Officials' Workweek to 40 Hours"

The National Part-Time Civil Servants Labor Union (hereinafter referred to as the Union) held a “National Assembly Forum on the Necessity to Expand the Working Hours Range up to 40 Hours per Week for Part-Time Civil Servants” on the 23rd.

Hosted by Lee Hae-sik and Park Jeong-hyun of the Democratic Party of Korea and Yong Hye-in of the Basic Income Party, the forum held at the National Assembly Library on the same day addressed topics such as the amendment of the Civil Servants Act to secure the right to apply for working hour changes, the calculation of the quota for workers working less than 40 hours, improvements in various allowance payment methods, and filing a constitutional complaint.

The forum featured a presentation by Professor Chae Jun-ho of Jeonbuk National University, with participation from lawyer Yoo Ji-young of iWin Law Office and government officials.

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the appointment of part-time civil servants. As of the end of 2022, there are about 2,100 local government employees and approximately 1,500 national government employees, totaling around 3,600 in service. However, this system has seen the abolition of local government recruitment in 2018 and the temporary suspension of unified national recruitment. The Union introduced criticisms that, contrary to the name “part-time civil servants,” the appointing authority can reduce working hours and is allowed to change weekly working hours at any time, causing discrimination.

Regarding this, the Union stated, “In June this year, among 222 local governments (excluding institutions without part-time civil servants), 162 (72.97%) responded that they want the Ministry of the Interior and Safety to increase the main working hours of part-time civil servants up to 40 hours per week to improve public service quality and resolve work gaps.”

Before the forum, Union Chairperson Jeong Seong-hye said at a press conference, “Civil servants appointed under the part-time civil servant system, which the government promoted as quality jobs in 2013, have had to endure discrimination and hardship simply because they work shorter hours on site,” and added, “To make part-time civil servants quality jobs, we urge the change of working hours from 15 to 40 hours per week.”