The Gangnam-gu Integrated Labor Union is calling for fair personnel principles ahead of the district's first promotion reshuffle under the ninth directly elected administration.
Im Seong-cheol, head of the union, said in a statement that the second-half regular promotion plan for the ninth administration, announced July 3, came sooner than expected, and that he viewed positively the new leadership's willingness to reorganize quickly.
However, Im said it would not be appropriate for the new administration to rely too heavily on performance evaluations carried out under its predecessor. "Promotions must be made fairly, based on new standards and principles," he said.
He questioned whether employees who contributed to external commendations and awards during the eighth administration had been properly reflected in the current promotion review. "How fairly and objectively the district mayor conducts this personnel process is the key issue," he said.
Im also said that while the union had made considerable progress on welfare since its founding in 2018 — one of its two original goals alongside personnel reform — the personnel side remained unimproved.
"The union is not able to participate meaningfully in the promotion committee, and the operational principles set out in the personnel regulations are not being properly followed — that is deeply disappointing," he said. "Gangnam-gu is held up as a model of advanced administration by other local governments, yet its personnel practices are still seen as opaque."
He then proposed making promotion criteria more objective, saying "ultimately, this organization must become one where employees who do the work get promoted and recognized."
Im said grade-7 and below staff should be evaluated primarily on individual diligence and competence, while grade-6 and above managers should be assessed on organizational management, coordination among staff, and leadership. "We cannot keep repeating the mistake of placing inexperienced employees in key posts and causing confusion in how the organization runs," he said.
He particularly urged that overtime records be used as an important reference in promotion reviews for grade-6 and below positions.
"Employees in project and support divisions — outside of civil complaint departments — who have dedicated themselves to the organization's development will rarely fall short of the basic overtime threshold over an extended period," Im said. "We need a personnel system that gives priority to those who have genuinely contributed."
He also said cases of repeated sick leave taken in place of annual leave should be examined as part of a comprehensive assessment of an employee's contribution and work attitude. "A sense of responsibility toward the organization and a spirit of collaboration must also factor into promotion reviews," he said.
Im directed a request to District Mayor Kim Hyeon-gi, asking him to look directly at the results of employees who have quietly done their work on the ground rather than deferring to close associates or outside voices. "We expect principled personnel decisions that will not be swayed by outside lobbying for promotions," he said.
"The first personnel reshuffle of the ninth administration is a critical starting point that will set the direction for four years of organizational management," Im said. "I hope it becomes an opportunity to build trust through fairness and transparency."
He also noted that while 345 employees are eligible for promotion in this cycle, fewer than 200 had read the ninth administration's district policy materials — a sign, he said, that policy communication within the organization was insufficient. He proposed opening executive meetings for real-time viewing by all staff through the Saero-ol administrative system and called for broader efforts to share policy information across the organization.
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