Strengthening Childbirth and Childcare Support for Civil Servant Couples... Anti-Corruption Commission Recommends Exception to 'Transfer Restriction Period'

As Part of Low Birthrate Support Measures
Also Applies When Only One Person is a Public Official

A recommendation has been made to apply exceptions to the 'transfer restriction period' so that married civil servant couples can work in the same region for childbirth and child-rearing.

On the 7th, the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission announced that as part of low birthrate support measures, it has prepared a plan to improve personnel management for civil servants so that couples can work in the same region, and recommended it to 49 central administrative agencies including the Ministry of Personnel Management, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, and the Ministry of National Defense.

This improvement plan was prepared to support dual-income civil servants who find it difficult to live with their spouse due to different workplaces, causing them to postpone child plans or take sole responsibility for childcare. It applies not only to civil servant couples but also to civil servants with spouses who are not civil servants.

The Commission recommended the Ministry of Personnel Management and the Ministry of the Interior and Safety to revise personnel regulations to exceptionally allow civil servants who are planning or expecting marriage or pregnancy, or who wish to transfer to live in the same region as their spouse, even if they are within the 'transfer restriction period.'

The transfer restriction period is a system that restricts transfers for a certain period from the initial appointment date for Grade 5 open competitive recruits and career hires. Currently, even if civil servants have difficulties such as infertility treatment or child-rearing, they cannot transfer to other agencies, and continuous civil complaints have been made requesting exceptions. The Ministry of the Interior and Safety has announced a legislative notice for partial amendments to the 'Local Public Officials Appointment Decree,' and the Ministry of Personnel Management has also stated that it will review amendments to related laws such as the 'Civil Servants Appointment Decree.'

The Commission also recommended the Ministry of National Defense to establish assignment management standards in the 'Military Personnel Management Regulations' for 'military civilian couples' in the same way as military couples. Currently, when both spouses are military civilians, only the Army has established assignment management standards allowing spouses to work in the same region, and the Ministry of National Defense's 'Military Personnel Management Regulations' do not include such standards. The Ministry of National Defense has expressed its intention to amend the relevant regulations.

Yoo Cheol-hwan, Chairman of the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission, said, "Supporting couples to have and raise children together as a happy daily life is the foundation of practical low birthrate measures," and added, "We will work with related ministries to establish a public service culture where couples can live together and balance work and childcare."