'Annual Salary 200 Million Won' Bangsim Chairman, Employee Promotions Remain 'No News'... Retaliation Suspicions

KCSC Secretariat Does Not Implement Regular Promotion for Grades 5-7
Rep. Lee Jeongheon: "Discipline and Morale in Public Service Collapsed"

The Korea Communications Standards Commission (KCSC) has reportedly not conducted the regular promotion personnel appointments for Grade 5 to 7 staff in the Secretariat this year without any clear reason, despite doing so every year. The KCSC labor union has raised suspicions that Chairman Ryu Hee-rim may be retaliating against employees who do not recognize him as chairman.

Ryu Hee-rim, Chairperson of the Korea Communications Standards Commission
Photo by Yonhap News

According to data obtained from the KCSC by Rep. Lee Jeong-heon of the Democratic Party, a member of the National Assembly’s Science, Technology, Information and Broadcasting and Communications Committee, the KCSC has conducted at least one promotion appointment annually from 2009 through last year. Out of 15 years, seven years saw promotions held twice a year, in both the first and second halves, and in 2016, promotions were conducted three times within the year. Even in years with only one promotion, most were held in the first half of the year.

KCSC employees have expressed dissatisfaction over the delayed promotions. An internal post recently shared with staff included anonymous comments such as, “While the chairman’s salary increases every year, the starting salary for new employees has been continuously frozen,” “Even if overtime is fully worked, the pay does not match that of other agencies,” and “The most fundamental function of a job is to provide a livelihood, but for lower-level employees, the current wages barely cover basic living expenses.”

Grade 5 to 7 staff in the Secretariat receive wage increases through salary and collective bargaining agreements (CBAs) and promotions, but wage increases tied to promotions have not been implemented.

Lee Jeongheon, member of the Democratic Party of Korea (center)

Criticism has arisen contrasting this with Chairman Ryu’s “self salary increase” earlier this year. In January, the KCSC decided at a plenary meeting to apply the public institution-wide wage increase rate of 2.5% for this year, setting Chairman Ryu’s annual salary at 195.38 million KRW. Recently, the National Assembly’s Science and ICT Committee pointed out that Chairman Ryu’s salary is comparable to that of the Prime Minister (19.763 million KRW in 2024).

Kim Jun-hee, head of the KCSC branch of the Korean Federation of Media Workers’ Unions, said, “Since they do not do it despite repeated requests, it can only be seen as intentional,” adding, “The personnel authority is being privatized to retaliate against employees who do not recognize him as chairman.”

A KCSC official stated, “There is no fixed schedule for regular promotion appointments,” and added, “Since it concerns personnel matters, it is difficult to clarify. Personnel decisions are the chairman’s authority.”

Rep. Lee Jeong-heon criticized, “While Chairman Ryu receives a salary of 200 million KRW, employees who quietly work hard behind the scenes face low treatment and difficulty in promotion,” and said, “When those who only watch the political winds occupy top positions, the discipline and morale of the public service collapse.”