South Gyeongsang Province announces 117 second-half promotions in performance-driven reshuffle

South Gyeongsang Province has announced 117 civil servants slated for promotion in its second-half regular personnel reshuffle, prioritizing officials who delivered results on youth settlement and regional economic revitalization ahead of the launch of the ninth directly elected provincial administration.

The province convened a personnel committee on June 26 and finalized the list of promotion nominees, taking into account vacancies created by pre-retirement training and voluntary early retirements, according to provincial officials.

The nominees include one Grade 3 official, 11 at Grade 4, 37 at Grade 5 and 68 at Grade 6 or below. Separately, three officials with notably strong performance records — one at Grade 3 and two at Grade 4 — were selected as acting-duty appointees.

The most prominent feature of this round of personnel changes is the advancement of women into senior positions. With the reshuffle, the number of female officials at Grade 4 or above within the provincial government rises to 32 out of 109 senior civil servants, pushing the share of women in senior posts to 29.4 percent.

Notably, none of the senior-level promotees passed through the national civil service examination or other competitive state exams. The province said it balanced organizational seniority and career track with a willingness to appoint high performers as acting-duty officials, rewarding results over credentials.

The province said it focused on reflecting the policy direction of the incoming ninth administration, set to launch in July, and on ensuring continuity in key ongoing projects.

Han Mi-young, head of the Youth Policy Division and a Grade 3 promotion nominee, was recognized for driving initiatives including a youth savings support program and a student-loan credit rehabilitation project that help young people achieve financial independence and put down roots in the region. Woo Myeong-hui, head of the Economy and Enterprise Division and selected as a Grade 3 acting-duty official, was recognized for leading the distribution of a provincial residents' livelihood support payment and a high fuel-cost relief payment, as well as channeling support funds to small and medium-sized enterprises to stabilize both household finances and local businesses.

"We carried out a performance-centered personnel reshuffle to ensure the sustained pursuit of key policies that residents can feel in their daily lives, including economic livelihood support and youth settlement," a provincial official said.

Following the promotion reshuffle, South Gyeongsang Province plans to carry out transfer appointments in early July covering division and bureau chiefs, deputy governors and civil servants at Grade 4 and above.