"Need to Expand Working Hours up to 40 Hours per Week for Part-Time Public Officials"

10 Years of Part-Time Public Official Employment System Operation: Presentation of Survey and Improvement Direction Study
Expectations for Resolving Work Gaps and Enhancing Efficiency through Expansion of Working Hours up to 40 Hours per Week

The National Part-Time Public Officials Labor Union (Chairperson Jeong Seong-hye) held a National Assembly forum titled “The Necessity of Expanding the Working Hours Range up to 40 Hours per Week for Part-Time Public Officials” at 4 p.m. on the 23rd in the main auditorium of the National Assembly Library. The forum was co-hosted by the National Assembly’s Public Administration and Security Committee members Park Jeong-hyun (Daedeok-gu, Daejeon) and Lee Hae-sik (Gangdong-gu Eul, Seoul) from the Democratic Party, and Yong Hye-in from the Basic Income Party (proportional representation).

Jeong Seong-hye, Chairperson of the Part-Time Public Officials Labor Union, stated, “Article 80, Paragraph 4 of the current Local Public Officials Personnel System Operation Guidelines and Article 93, Paragraph 4 of the Public Officials Appointment Rules each stipulate that the Minister of the Interior and Safety and the Ministry of Personnel Innovation shall conduct surveys on personnel grievances and obstacles related to part-time public officials and may recommend improvements to the relevant local governments based on the survey results. However, there has never been a government research project on the current status and issues of the part-time public official appointment system. Therefore, we signed a research contract titled ‘A Survey and Improvement Directions on the Actual Conditions of Part-Time Public Officials after 10 Years of Appointment’ with Professor Chae Jun-ho of Jeonbuk National University, who presented on June 25, and the results were announced through this National Assembly forum.”

While preparing for the National Assembly forum, there was a program where AI creates presentations. We asked it to prepare a presentation on ‘Explanation of the Part-Time Public Official System, Its Problems, and the Reasons for Expanding Working Hours up to 40 Hours per Week.’ Automatically, an outline was created including the current status and improvement plans of the part-time public official system, system introduction, current status, system problems, expected effects of expanding working hours up to 40 hours per week, challenges related to working hours expansion, analysis of overseas cases, and conclusion. The conclusion was ‘Improvement of the part-time public official system is urgent.’

Kim Hyun-jin, Chairperson of the Public Officials Labor Union Federation, said, “This is my third time participating in a part-time public official forum. Anyone in public service would know that the part-time public official system has problems. The system itself is not flawed, but discrimination continues. The reason this system is well-established in Europe and other places is that treatment and the system for part-time public officials are well settled. I believe integration is necessary.”

National Assembly member Park Jeong-hyun said, “There are many industrial complexes in my constituency, Daedeok-gu, and we have promoted ‘Labor-Respecting Daedeok-gu’ through various activities. I participated in this forum with interest. When the system was introduced, there were about 6,500 part-time public officials, but now I understand about 3,500 are working. The part-time public official system is necessary, but how to improve the unreasonable parts is an urgent task.” He also added, “We will work hard in the Public Administration and Security Committee to solve this issue.”

National Assembly member Yong Hye-in said, “I am honored to participate again this year. I understand that the system was introduced 11 years ago. In 2018, local government recruitment and in 2020, national government recruitment were collectively suspended, and nearly half of the recruited personnel either gave up their appointments or retired due to low sense of belonging and feelings of deprivation caused by poor treatment. Discriminatory treatment is the main reason for the refusal or retirement of part-time public officials.” She added, “I will work with members of the Public Administration and Security Committee so that the topic of expanding working hours up to 40 hours per week can be resolved and that next year we can hold a forum with other demands from part-time public officials.”