Promotion from Grade 9 to Grade 6 in 6 Years
Another personnel issue has arisen in Namwon City, Jeonbuk, which previously caused controversy by promoting a suspect during a police investigation for refusing a breathalyzer test.
On the 15th, JTV Jeonju Broadcasting reported, "Namwon City specially promoted Mr. A, a grade 7 public official and executive secretary to Mayor Choi Kyung-sik, to grade 6 last July." According to the report, Mr. A was appointed as a grade 9 official in 2018, promoted to grade 8 in 2020, grade 7 in 2023, and then again promoted to grade 6 last July, just one year and six months after his grade 7 promotion.
This means he was promoted from grade 9 to grade 6 in just six years. This is an ultra-fast promotion, one year faster than Kim Seon-tae, the "PR man" who manages the official YouTube channel of Chungju City, Chungbuk. Typically, it takes more than 15 years for a public official to advance from grade 9 to grade 6. Considering that it usually takes about seven years to move from grade 7 to grade 6, this is an unprecedented personnel decision. It is known that Mr. A's rank rose two levels in less than two years after taking on the role of executive secretary.
Reviewing the merit report that served as the basis for Mr. A's special promotion to grade 6, it stated that he made efforts to enact the Namwon Drone Industry Promotion and Support Ordinance and to attract the World Drone Racing Competition, and that he performed his duties for the mayor with a systematic plan without following conventions. However, the drone-related work was assigned when he was at grade 8, and he worked in the relevant department for only 46 days, which has sparked controversy.
In response, Namwon City explained that the candidate was recommended based on achievements over the past two years and that since there are no detailed regulations, no laws were violated. Kim Jong-hyuk, head of Namwon City's personnel team, told JTV Jeonju Broadcasting, "The appointment was made based on the recommendation of the appointing authority (the mayor). In fact, there are no detailed regulations regarding this special promotion. So we reviewed our internal plans and proceeded accordingly."
This is not the first time personnel controversies have arisen in Namwon City. Previously, Mr. B, a grade 6 public official in Namwon City, caused controversy by being promoted to section chief (grade 5) in the regular personnel reshuffle last July while under police investigation for refusing a breathalyzer test. After criticism from the public officials' labor union, Namwon City belatedly canceled his promotion decision and launched an administrative audit of the overall personnel affairs at city hall.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
