Yeongam County Labor and Management Declare Mutual Respect in Civil Complaint Culture

Joint Statement Issued on Protecting Public Officials

Woosunghee, Yeongam County Governor (center), along with the Yeongam Branch of the National Public Officials Labor Union and the Yeongam Branch of the National Democratic Labor Union, issued a joint statement of mutual respect. Provided by Yeongam County

In Yeongam County, South Jeolla Province, labor and management have come together to establish a civil complaint culture based on mutual respect and to protect public officials.

On January 21, at the county office, Yeongam County, the Yeongam County Branch of the National Public Officials Labor Union, and the Yeongam Branch of the National Democratic Labor Union jointly issued a "Joint Statement on Establishing a Civil Complaint Culture of Mutual Respect and Protecting Public Officials."

This statement was prepared to protect the human rights and safety of public officials from verbal abuse, assault, and threats that occur during the process of raising certain civil complaints, and to foster a healthy civil complaint culture based on mutual trust between residents and the administration.

In the statement, the county and the unions made it clear that filing civil complaints is a legitimate right of residents, but emphasized that violence, threats, and acts of personal defamation can never be justified under any circumstances. They particularly pointed out that such actions undermine fairness and public interest, and ultimately result in harm to all residents.

The joint statement includes the application of a zero-tolerance policy toward abusive behaviors such as verbal abuse, assault, threats, and sexual harassment at civil complaint sites, as well as immediate protective measures and legal responses to illegal or coercive complaints. It was also decided to implement comprehensive protection measures for affected public officials, including psychological counseling, legal support, and adjustments to their working environment.

Additionally, the statement calls for the establishment of a protection system and a joint response framework for handling civil complaints, and urges residents to participate in spreading a culture of mutual respect in civil complaint interactions.

The county and the unions plan to continue fostering an environment of mutual respect in civil complaint handling through joint campaigns, promotional activities, and institutional improvements.

In particular, they will conduct training for public officials on responding to verbal abuse and violence at least once a year, and will also provide education for private organizations on protecting public officials and fostering a culture of mutual respect in civil complaints.

On a semiannual basis, they plan to distribute and post manuals for protecting public officials, provide training for managers, institutions, and social organizations, and continue education on managing malicious civil complaints.

Woosunghee, Yeongam County Governor, stated, "Protecting public officials directly leads to improved quality of county services," adding, "Through organized and systematic responses to civil complaints, we will establish a safe working environment and a mature civil complaint culture."