Im Man-gyun, the newly inaugurated speaker of the Seoul Metropolitan Council and a former certified labor attorney, is drawing attention for his early push to improve working conditions for council staff.
Im chose to dedicate his first official act as speaker to enhancing employee welfare and fostering a workplace culture built on mutual respect.
The Seoul Metropolitan Council announced it has amended its local civil servant service ordinance to introduce a "self-care special leave" system — one day of paid leave per year — set to take effect Monday.
The policy is designed to prevent burnout among civil servants and support work-life balance, allowing staff to focus on legislative support duties in better physical and mental health. It carries added significance as the first policy move reflecting the new speaker's strong commitment to reforming organizational culture.
The self-care leave applies to all Seoul Metropolitan Council employees and grants one day per year. Unused leave does not carry over to the following year. The leave must be taken as a full day to ensure adequate rest and recharging, and employees are not required to state a specific reason when applying, removing any potential sense of burden.
To protect employees' autonomy while preventing gaps in legislative support, the council will advise staff to avoid taking the leave during major sessions — including regular and extraordinary sessions — and will require prior consultation with department heads if use during those periods is unavoidable.
The policy reflects a broader trend in the public sector toward work-life balance and expanded employee welfare. It is expected to boost staff morale and job satisfaction, invigorate the organization, and ultimately raise the quality of legislative support services provided to citizens.
"The health and happiness of our employees are a vital asset directly tied to the organization's competitiveness," Im said. "We will continue to build a working environment where staff can fully realize their potential within a healthy work-life balance, and on that foundation, strive to deliver ever higher-quality legislative support services to the citizens of Seoul."
The self-care special leave was established through an amendment to the Seoul Metropolitan Council's local civil servant service ordinance and takes effect Monday.
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