"‘Cancerous Presence’ Aftermath Following Chungjuman’s Resignation...He Breaks Silence on ‘Bullying Theory’"

"Rumors of Ostracism and Internal Conflict Are Not True...It Was a Personal Challenge"
"Internal Checks Must Have Been Intense"...Various Speculations About His Resignation

Kim Seontae, an administrative officer known as Chungjuman, who has run Chungju City's official YouTube channel in Chungju, North Chungcheong Province, has decided to leave public service. Chungju City's YouTube

Kim Seontae, the administrative officer who has led Chungju City's official YouTube channel "Chung TV" in Chungju, North Chungcheong Province, dismissed rumors surrounding his resignation. This came after a recent post on an anonymous office-worker community claimed, in effect, that "he snapped up a Grade-6 team leader position that normally requires 20 years of service, and because he was exempted from rotational assignments due to his YouTube promotion work, people inside must have really disliked him."

On February 16, Kim posted a message on the YouTube channel "Chung TV," beginning by saying, "I want to state clearly that stories about internal conflict, such as the so-called 'bullying theory' raised by some, are not true."

He drew a clear line, saying that his resignation was a decision driven by the achievement of personal goals and the desire to take on new challenges in the future, and not due to conflict with any particular individual or organization. He also expressed regret that, due to various reports and speculation, his colleagues at Chungju City were being attacked and that this was leading to criticism of public officials as a whole.

Kim concluded, "I hope that unverified speculation and indiscriminate criticism will no longer be amplified," adding, "Thank you for all the support and interest you have shown so far, and I will always root for my colleagues in Chungju City and for all public officials with whom I have worked."

"Internal checks must have been intense"...Various speculations over his resignation

Recently on Blind, a post was uploaded under the title "Are there public officials who dislike Chungjuman?" describing the internal atmosphere of the organization. The writer said, "In the world of public officials, where people hate standing out, it is not easy to achieve results by going that far," and added, "I actually think Chungjuman is truly impressive precisely because he is a public official."

Many different opinions followed in the comments. One user wrote, "Isn't he leaving because he has completed 10 years for his pension? It may simply be a natural personal choice," and added, "Honestly, which public official wants to show their face and do that kind of work?"

Some also focused on the possibility that he had faced strong internal checks over the years. Another user commented, "Now that the mayor of Chungju has resigned, it seems he has no one left to lean on." Another comment read, "The mayor must have shielded him a lot until now. I wonder how intense the internal checks must have been." Former Mayor Cho was known to have given Kim his full support.

There were also posts expressing self-mockery about the rigid culture of the public sector. One public official wrote on Blind under the title "Chungjuman was a cancerous presence in the public sector," saying, "He snapped up a Grade-6 team leader position that others only get after 20 years of continuous service," and continued, "He himself (Kim) admitted that there were many people who disliked him, and now that he is gone, the public sector will become harmonious and peaceful. By nature, the public sector is a place where people can never tolerate anyone who is doing better or standing out more than they are."