[The Editors' Verdict] "Day to Serve" Must Disappear Like "Sibo Tteok"

After Public Debate Four Years Ago, "Sibo Tteok" Tradition Nearly Disappears
"Day to Serve" Still Remains... Entertaining Superiors with Team Funds and Personal Money
Mass Resignation and Declining Competition Among MZ Generation Public Servants
A Shift Toward a Culture of Working Together

Four years ago, a post appeared on an online community. It described how a female colleague, who was struggling financially, handed out Baekseolgi rice cakes as "Sibo Tteok" to mark the end of her probation period, only to find the rice cakes in the office trash can, which made her cry all night. "Sibo Tteok" was a tradition among public servants, where they would distribute rice cakes to colleagues as a gesture of gratitude after completing the six-month probation period following their appointment. As the controversy grew, the issue was even raised during a National Assembly Public Administration and Security Committee briefing. At the time, then-Minister of the Interior and Safety Jeon Haecheol pledged to eliminate such unreasonable practices related to "Sibo Tteok." Since then, both the central and local governments have worked to eradicate the "Sibo Tteok" culture, and some local governments have instead given congratulatory rice cakes or flower bouquets to public servants who completed their probation. As a result, the tradition has almost disappeared.

However, the even more outdated and harmful practice known as "Day to Serve Executives" still persists. In the public sector, "Day to Serve" refers to the custom where junior employees treat their superiors to lunch or dinner. Team members pool money and take turns preparing meals according to the preferences and schedule of the executive. In this process, both team operating funds and personal money are used. According to the first official survey conducted by the government in November last year, which targeted 150,000 public servants in central ministries and local governments, 18.1% of respondents said they had experienced a "Day to Serve" in the past year. Among those who responded, the rate was 10.1% in central ministries and a staggering 23.9% in local governments. The main reasons cited were "because it is customary" and "because executives are responsible for personnel and performance evaluations." The hierarchical structure and evaluation authority in the public sector are perpetuating this practice.

A separate survey conducted by the Korean Government Employees' Union (from December 2023 to January 2024, targeting 1,008 local government officials and those under local governments) also found that more than half of respondents said there was a "Day to Serve." Nine out of ten said they felt uncomfortable with it. Most of the costs were covered by team operating funds (44.2%) and team members' personal money (39.2%), while only 3.6% said that executives paid out of their own pockets.

The "Day to Serve" causes a range of problems, including financial burden, infringement on the freedom of lunchtime, emotional labor such as menu selection, and the extra work of preparing for the event outside of regular duties. This is especially severe in local governments, where people work closely together for long periods of time, compared to central ministries. Although the government has taken strong measures and various agencies and local governments are trying to eliminate the "Day to Serve," the practice persists. It is both a harmful legacy of the public sector and a factor that undermines its competitiveness. The mass resignation of MZ generation (Millennials and Generation Z) public servants and declining application rates are clear warning signs. This year, the competition rate for the grade-9 local government civil service exam was 8.8 to 1, the lowest in the past five years. Low pay, rigid organizational culture, high-stress work due to malicious complaints, and outdated practices like these are cited as the main reasons.

On July 14, President Lee Jaemyung, speaking to newly appointed public servants who had passed the state civil service exam and were appointed as grade-5 officials, emphasized integrity and shared anecdotes from his time as mayor of Seongnam and governor of Gyeonggi Province. President Lee said, "Money is a devil. But it never appears with the face of a devil. Instead, it appears as the most beautiful angel, friend, relative, or lover." The "Day to Serve," carried out in the name of tradition, is no different from a devil. The era of serving someone is over. The culture must shift from one of "serving" to one of "working together." Lee Kyungho, Head of Issue & Trend Team