Workers in demanding or remote posts given priority; critics flag revolving-door appointments
Son Hoon-mo, the attorney-turned-mayor who took office as Suncheon's 11th directly elected mayor under the ninth round of local elections, has carried out his first regular personnel reshuffle, formally opening what he calls a new era of city governance.
The city said the sweeping round of transfers and promotions was designed to deliver fair, performance-based administration and strengthen internal communication.
The reshuffle covers 50 promotions — two civil servants at grade 4, two at grade 5, six grade-5 promotion approvals, seven at grade 6, 18 at grade 7 and 15 at grade 8 — along with 397 transfers.
The moves reflect the core personnel principles Son has emphasized since winning election: fairness and balanced appointments, professional expertise and organizational stability.
The most notable feature is the deliberate attention paid to staff who had long toiled in high-pressure or geographically remote posts with little recognition.
Son reassigned civil servants who had quietly served in unpopular or outlying departments to their preferred postings, extending what the city described as a preferential personnel policy.
The city said the approach was intended to inject fresh energy through equal opportunity and to reshape working practices and organizational culture in line with the new administration's direction.
The reshuffle also recognized senior civil servants who provide organizational stability.
Experienced officials with years of accumulated administrative know-how were actively considered in the promotion round to reinforce the organization's backbone.
At the same time, Son made a bold move by appointing a relatively junior grade-6 civil servant as the new chief of his secretariat, aiming to combine the seasoned judgment of veteran staff with the energy of a younger generation.
Capable personnel were also placed in key posts to accelerate the ninth-term administration's priority agenda, including reviving the local economy and nurturing future industries.
A Civic Sovereignty Task Force was also established to embed the concept of citizen sovereignty across city administration, staffed with officials recognized for both competence and communication skills.
The task force will serve as a channel to strengthen dialogue with residents and bring grassroots voices into city policy, with administrative resources focused on delivering open governance that citizens can feel directly.
Several officials who had been favored by former Mayor No Gwan-gyu were moved to less prominent posts, while some civil servants were returned to their previous roles to address a shortage of qualified personnel and bolster expertise within the organization.
"Building on the newly reorganized structure, we will swiftly revive the stagnant local economy and create tangible change that citizens can feel, leading Suncheon city government in a way that earns public trust," Son said.
With the organizational overhaul complete, Suncheon City said it will now concentrate its full administrative capacity on reviewing summer natural-disaster safety measures and handling pressing livelihood issues, marking the start of what it described as the ninth-term administration's full-speed voyage.
The following are the personnel changes by grade. Grade-4 promotions: Administrative Support Bureau Director Lee Chan-seong (formerly chief of the Civil Affairs Administration Division) and Urban Design Bureau Director Seo Jun-won (formerly chief of the Roads Division).
Grade-4 transfers: Strategic Planning Bureau Director Choi Sin-cheol (formerly Assembly Secretariat Director); Future Industries Bureau Director Lee Su-dong (formerly Strategic Planning Bureau Director); Youth Education Bureau Director Kim Yeong-nam (formerly Agricultural Policy Innovation Bureau Director); Safety and Transportation Bureau Director Kim Seon-sun (formerly Garden City Center Director); Ecological Environment Bureau Director Kim Ji-sik (formerly Youth Education Bureau Director); Agricultural Policy Innovation Bureau Director Choi Yeong-hwa (formerly Future Industries Bureau Director); Clean Water Management Center Director Chae Yeon-seok (formerly Administrative Support Bureau Director); Garden City Center Director Lee Gang-jin (formerly Safety and Transportation Bureau Director); Assembly Secretariat Director Sin Sun-ok (formerly Ecological Environment Bureau Director).
Grade-5 promotions: Construction Division Chief Jo Sang-ok (formerly acting chief of the Sports Facilities Operations Division) and Food Sanitation Division Chief Nam Hye-seon (formerly acting chief of the Health and Medical Division).
Grade-5 promotion approvals: Yun Sun-yeop, acting chief of the Autonomous Administration Division (formerly team leader, Taxation Division levy team); Kang Min, acting chief of the Eco-Friendly Agriculture Division (formerly team leader, Animal Resources Division livestock team); Kim Suk-yeong, acting chief of the Parks and Green Spaces Division (formerly team leader, Parks and Green Spaces Division greening planning team); Park Chi-hyeon, acting audit office director (formerly team leader, Audit Office technical audit team); Jeong Jin-u, acting chief of the Architecture Division (formerly team leader, Permits Division building permits team); Jeong Yeong-seok, acting chief of the Agricultural Policy Division (formerly team leader, Rural Development Division farmer development team).
Grade-5 transfers: Public Relations Office Director Mun Mi-jeong (formerly Agricultural Policy Division chief); General Affairs Division Chief Lee Hyeong-geum (formerly Haeryong Township head); Taxation Division Chief Yang Yeong-man (formerly on secondment to Suncheon National University's glocal program); Accounting Division Chief Kim Hong-du (formerly Byeollyang Township head); Civil Affairs Administration Division Chief Kim Jun-hwa (formerly Advanced Industries Division chief); Planning Division Chief Jo Hong-gyun (formerly Animal Resources Division chief); Content Policy Division Chief Jang Eun-hui (formerly Economic Promotion Division chief); Urban Strategy Division Chief Park Sang-hun (formerly Safety Coordination Division chief); New Growth Industries Division Chief Hwang Hak-jong (formerly Jogok-dong head); Advanced Industries Division Chief Kim Seo-ha (formerly Digital Policy Division chief); Economic Promotion Division Chief Kim Mi-ja (formerly Content Policy Division chief); Digital Policy Division Chief Baek Yeong-mi (formerly Rural Development Division chief); Culture and Arts Division Chief Kim Mi-ran (formerly Songgwang Township head); Tourism Division Chief Lee Jeong-hwa (formerly Oseо Township head); National Heritage Division Chief Yun Seon-ok (formerly on secondment to the provincial cultural industries division); Sports Industry Division Chief Kim Gyeong-man (formerly Waste Resources Division chief); Sports Facilities Operations Division Chief Gang Hun (formerly Construction Division chief); Lifelong Education Division Chief Choe Hyang-suk (formerly Juam Township head); Senior Welfare Division Chief Park Hyeon-jeong (formerly Food Sanitation Division chief); Urban Planning Division Chief Gu Bon-il (formerly Nagan Township head); Permits Division Chief Lee Seon-hwa (formerly Urban Space Regeneration Division chief); Urban Space Regeneration Division Chief Ryu Je-sik (formerly New City Hall Construction Division chief); New City Hall Construction Division Chief Kim Hyeong-uk (formerly Architecture Division chief); Safety Coordination Division Chief Choe Hong-mi (formerly Samsan-dong head); Transportation Policy Division Chief Park Mi-gyeong (formerly Jeojeon-dong head); Traffic Management Division Chief Jeong Hak-gyu (formerly Sports Industry Division chief); Roads Division Chief Lee Yeong-o (formerly Land Information Division chief); Land Information Division Chief Ryu Yeong-gwon (formerly Deogyeon-dong head); Waste Resources Division Chief Jo Jeom-su (formerly Permits Division chief); Environmental Management Division Chief Yang Yeong-hui (formerly Garden Facilities Division chief); Agricultural Food Distribution Division Chief Lee Mi-suk (formerly Clean Water Administration Division chief); Animal Resources Division Chief Na Ok-hyeon (formerly National Heritage Division chief); Health and Medical Division Chief Park Mi-ran (formerly Namje-dong head); Rural Development Division Chief Kim Sun-ok (formerly Maegok-dong head); Clean Water Administration Division Chief An Tae-sun (formerly Agricultural Food Distribution Division chief); Sewage Division Chief Kim Sung-hwan (formerly Urban Planning Division chief); Garden Operations Division Chief Song Myeong-seon (formerly Public Relations Office director); Garden Facilities Division Chief O Seon-hui (formerly Environmental Management Division chief); Nagan Eupseong Support Project Office Director Choe Geum-sim (formerly Traffic Management Division chief); Culture and Arts Center Director Yang Gu-yeol (formerly Planning Division chief); Seungju Township head Bang Su-jin (formerly New Growth Industries Division chief); Juam Township head Kim Dong-yeong (formerly Wangjo 2-dong head); Songgwang Township head Sin Yeong-ju (formerly Accounting Division chief); Oseо Township head Kim Su-ryeon (formerly Autonomous Administration Division chief); Nagan Township head Lee Tae-mun (formerly Parks and Green Spaces Division chief); Byeollyang Township head Kim Jong-hwan (formerly Jungang-dong head); Haeryong Township head Kim Gi-ok (formerly Transportation Policy Division chief); Hyang-dong head Kim Seung-chan (formerly Dosa-dong head); Maegok-dong head Gang Jin-suk (formerly Seungju Township head); Samsan-dong head Park Hyeong-suk (formerly Senior Welfare Division chief); Jogok-dong head Lee Hyeon-tae (formerly Hyang-dong head); Deogyeon-dong head Jeong Eun-gyeong (formerly Jangcheon-dong head); Pungdeok-dong head Chu Seung-an (formerly Urban Strategy Division chief); Namje-dong head Gu Gil-rim (formerly Sewage Division chief); Jeojeon-dong head Hyeon Dong-sun (formerly Lifelong Education Division chief); Jangcheon-dong head Kim Yang-hui (formerly Culture and Arts Division chief); Jungang-dong head Lee Jeon-geun (formerly Taxation Division chief); Dosa-dong head Choe Dong-gyu (formerly Garden Operations Division chief); Wangjo 1-dong head Jang Ik-sang (formerly Audit Office director); Wangjo 2-dong head Nam Gi-yun (formerly General Affairs Division chief).
Grade-6 promotions: Gang Hui (Construction Division), Jeong Jong-rye (Budget Division), Lee Ji-yeon (Seungju Township), Lee Hui-jin (Animal Resources Division), Son Go-un (Disease Control Division), Lee Jeong-bok (Audit Office), Hwang Yun-jung (National Heritage Division).
parkds@heraldcorp.com
