South Gyeongsang Province to draw up autonomous-assignment guidelines this year

South Gyeongsang Province will draw up practical guidelines for its autonomous-assignment system before the end of the year as part of efforts to strengthen its capacity to respond to emerging issues. The provincial government said Wednesday it plans to pilot the guidelines from 2027 and regularize rank-based training sessions.

The autonomous-assignment system allows department heads to choose or combine operational models when distributing work, based on the nature of tasks and available staffing. South Gyeongsang Province ran a pilot in 2022 and expanded the system to all divisions and bureaus in 2024.

The system offers three operational models: the conventional assignment model, the part model and the independent model. Work requiring comprehensive review — such as permits and licensing — continues under the conventional assignment model. Under the part model, a responsible administrative officer takes charge of a specific task and pursues it horizontally across the organization. The independent model allows staff at any rank to receive approval directly from the department head, bypassing middle managers, to handle pressing issues.

Since expanding the system, the province has gathered employee feedback and conducted surveys, identifying areas for improvement — including how to redistribute work when new issues arise and how to set clearer criteria for choosing the right operational model based on task characteristics.

Four rounds of tailored training by rank were also held to deepen understanding of the system and build practical skills. Sessions for newly promoted section chiefs at Grade 4 — within one year of promotion — covered organizational management and work-priority redistribution, while Grade 5 administrative officers and Grade 6 and below staff received guidance on the features of each model and their respective roles.

Wednesday's session, the fourth in the series, was held for civil servants at Grade 6 and below. Additional training for newly hired and transferred civil servants is planned for the second half of the year, linked to courses at the provincial human resources development institute.

South Gyeongsang Province, working with the Gyeongnam Research Institute, will develop an autonomous-assignment operational guideline covering diagnostic criteria for each department's work characteristics and model-selection standards. The province plans to pilot the guideline from 2027 and refine it based on feedback from the field.

Policy Planning Officer Kim Young-sam said the administration would "establish practical operational standards by year's end and build an organizational culture where autonomy translates into real results."