[Exclusive] National Election Commission's "Leave Rush" During Election Season... Fewer Employees on Leave This Year

Significant Drop to 144 Employees on Leave in April Compared to Last Year
Self-Regulation Triggered by Criticism Over Moral Hazard

The National Election Commission, which previously faced criticism for a surge in employees taking leave ahead of major elections, has seen an unusual decrease in the number of employees on leave this year, even with the presidential election approaching. This change is attributed to heightened public awareness regarding the moral hazard of employees taking leave to avoid busy election season duties, as well as the Commission's strengthened internal self-regulation efforts.

According to Asia Economy's coverage on May 20, as of April 30, the number of National Election Commission employees on leave stood at 144, which is 4.8% of the total 2,982 employees. Among the 144 employees on leave, 99 were on parental leave, while 45 were on leave for other reasons such as illness or family care. Compared to last year, when 105 employees were on parental leave and 66 were on leave for other reasons, totaling 171, this represents a decrease of about 16%.

In particular, considering that the number of employees on leave surged to 219 at the end of April 2022, when both the presidential and nationwide local elections were held simultaneously, this year's decrease is significant.

The decline in the number of employees on leave at the Commission this year is mainly due to increased scrutiny regarding the moral hazard of mass leave-taking ahead of elections. After media reports highlighted the surge in employees taking leave during election periods, members of the National Assembly demanded the disclosure of leave data from the Commission. The Commission responded by issuing an internal directive urging employees to refrain from taking leave, and calls for stronger self-regulation were significantly reinforced. In March, Secretary General Kim Yongbin personally requested that, except in unavoidable circumstances, employees refrain from unnecessary and repetitive leave-taking (such as taking leave before the election and returning after it) in future elections under his management.

Although the growing culture of gender equality, such as men taking parental leave, has led to an overall increase in parental leave, the Commission explained that the increase during this election season has not been as pronounced as in the past. A Commission official stated, "There were concerns internally that the number of employees on leave could rise further with the early presidential election scheduled for June this year. However, following the internal directive to refrain from taking leave, and the mention that taking leave without unavoidable reasons could result in transfer to a different city or province, a culture of restraint has taken hold."