Gyeonggi Provincial Assembly, Contract Employee Who Broke Into Building and Stole Cell Phone Still Working After 7 Months

Gyeonggi Provincial Government and Gyeonggi Provincial Assembly

A fixed-term public official of the Democratic Party in the Gyeonggi Provincial Assembly is under investigation for theft, including unlawfully entering a building and stealing a mobile phone last April, but disciplinary or personnel actions have not been taken for seven months, raising controversy over the Assembly's personnel management.

According to the Gyeonggi Provincial Assembly and police on the 11th, Mr. A, who has been working as a policy support officer (general fixed-term level 6) in a Democratic Party lawmaker's office at the Gyeonggi Provincial Assembly since last year, is suspected of unlawfully entering a building in Apgujeong-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, in the early morning of April 6 and stealing a mobile phone from an office inside the building. The building houses facilities such as plastic surgery clinics, offices, and commercial establishments.

The police responded to a report around 1:50 a.m. on the day of the incident stating, "Someone is wandering around the building without clothes on, suspected of drug use." At the time, Mr. A was heavily intoxicated, and a simple drug test came back negative.

After investigating Mr. A, the police allowed him to return home, but further suspicions arose that he took a mobile phone from the building, prompting additional related investigations. Mr. A reportedly stated during the police investigation that he "does not remember due to intoxication."

In accordance with Article 46 of the Police Crime Investigation Regulations, the police notified the Gyeonggi Provincial Assembly of the commencement of the investigation into Mr. A. However, Mr. A continues to work without suspension or reassignment. The Assembly manages the hiring and personnel affairs of general fixed-term public officials but claims it lacks authority for internal investigations, audits, or disciplinary actions.

It has been confirmed that the Gyeonggi Provincial Assembly did not report the matter concerning Mr. A to the Gyeonggi Provincial Government, citing the ongoing investigation as the reason.

Meanwhile, the organizational chart of the Gyeonggi Provincial Assembly clearly stipulates that one of the main duties of the Personnel Officer includes "disciplinary work related to public officials."