[Exclusive] Government to Eradicate 'Executive Reception Day'... Institution Names to Be Disclosed

Ministry of the Interior and Safety to Launch Third Survey in March
Institution Names to Be Disclosed Based on Survey Results
Some Still View It as a Form of 'Communication'
Last Year's Survey Found 11% Had Experienced the Practice

#. At a district office in a local government, the role of "meal manager" existed until recently. This person was responsible for checking the preferred menus of superiors, making restaurant reservations, and collecting money from staff to pay for the meals. There was even a rotation schedule for which superior to host, so junior employees had to bear a considerable cost each month.

The government is moving to publicly disclose the names of institutions in order to eliminate the practice of 'Executive Reception Day' in the public sector. Although the government has implemented various measures to eradicate this harmful custom, it still persists as a customary practice in some workplaces.

According to local governments on February 2, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety will conduct the third survey on 'Executive Reception Day' as early as March, in collaboration with the Ministry of Personnel Management. It has been confirmed that the ministry recently sent official documents to each local government detailing the procedures for the upcoming survey and the potential public disclosure of institution names based on the results.

The government has taken various measures to abolish the 'Executive Reception Day,' but in some places, it continues as a customary practice. After conducting a survey, the government will take strong action by publicly disclosing the names of the institutions based on the results.

'Executive Reception Day' refers to the practice where public officials take turns treating their superiors to meals at their own expense. In the first survey conducted in November 2024, which targeted 150,000 public officials at central government agencies and local governments, 18.1% of respondents said they had experienced 'Executive Reception Day' within the past year. In the second survey in April 2025, 11.1% responded that they had experienced it.

The issue was more severe in local governments than in central government agencies. While only about 1 in 10 (10.1%) central government employees reported experiencing 'Executive Reception Day,' the figure was more than twice as high among local government employees, with 1 in 4 (23.9%) reporting such experiences. This difference was also evident in the frequency of the practice: in central government agencies, the most common frequency was once or twice a month (46.1%), whereas in local governments, it was once or twice a week (45.9%).

This is why the government has decided to take the drastic measure of publicly disclosing institution names. Although 'Executive Reception Day' is on the decline, it is still perceived in some workplaces as a form of 'communication' and continues to be practiced.

Prime Minister Minseok Kim also called for "immediate action." During a work briefing last month, he questioned the survey results indicating a decline in 'Executive Reception Day' and ordered that the practice be eliminated immediately.

The Ministry of the Interior and Safety plans to publicly disclose the names of institutions with high rates of 'Executive Reception Day' experience based on the survey scheduled for March. An official from the ministry explained, "Rather than simply reducing the practice, we are encouraging voluntary action in the field to eliminate it entirely," adding, "We have communicated this firm stance to some institutions through video conferences to ensure eradication."

However, there are ongoing internal discussions regarding the methodology for the survey, which will serve as the basis for public disclosure. The survey is conducted through the internal public official network, but differences in the total number of employees and participation rates by institution make it difficult to establish clear criteria for disclosure. The official stated, "To ensure the representativeness of the survey results, a minimum number of responses is needed, so establishing such detailed standards is a priority."

To achieve the complete elimination of 'Executive Reception Day,' the government has set up an anonymous reporting center within the electronic personnel management system (e-Saram) and is also receiving reports of harm from public officials at central government agencies. If a whistleblower provides specific details such as the accused person, time, place, and circumstances of the incident, the information is forwarded to the audit department of the relevant ministry. If, after reviewing the details, there is sufficient reason for an audit, an investigation is conducted. If the misconduct is found to be serious and intentional, disciplinary actions such as dismissal or termination are possible, going beyond a simple warning.