"Cancel the Civil Servants' Singing Contest"... Hong Jun-pyo Rejects It as a "Morale Boosting Scheme"

'2024 Public Servants Singing Contest' Held in Daegu on the 8th
Hong Jun-pyo: "The World Is Not Only for the Young Generation"

On the 8th, the "2024 Civil Servant Singing Contest" will be held at Daegu EXCO, but there have been calls to abolish the event. However, Hong Jun-pyo, the mayor of Daegu, stated that he will not abolish it, calling it a measure to boost civil servants' morale.

On the 5th, a post was uploaded on "Dream of Youth," an online political community opened by Mayor Hong, saying, "The Daegu city civil servant singing contest seems inappropriate. Young generations really dislike this kind of thing. I hope it will be abolished." In response, Mayor Hong said, "The world is not only for the younger generation," adding, "Holding a golf tournament in spring and a singing contest in autumn is a measure to boost civil servants' morale." In other words, he explained that such events are intended to invigorate the public service community.

Hong Joon-pyo, Mayor of Daegu. [Photo by Yonhap News]

However, there are also many voices opposing this. The Daegu branch of the National Public Officials Labor Union issued a statement on the 4th, urging, "We firmly oppose the Daegu city civil servant singing contest and the mobilization of district and county civil servants, which deceive Daegu citizens with club events funded by huge budgets, and demand an immediate halt." According to the union, the Daegu city General Affairs Division requested the welfare teams of each district and county to have more than 50 participants.

Meanwhile, in Daegu city, retirements of low-ranking civil servants born after the 1990s are increasing. In 2022, 17 out of 65 retired, and last year, 8 out of 89 retired. Regarding the ongoing civil servant attrition, Mayor Hong stated in January, "We will break old internal organizational practices and create an organizational culture that moves forward with a bold challenge to regain the status of one of the three major cities on the Korean Peninsula with the spirit of 克世拓道 (overcoming current difficulties and forging a new path) with one heart and one mind."