Muan-gun Reveals Breakdown of 'Public Service Discipline'

Disciplinary Actions Averaging 50 Cases Annually for Using Obesity Clinic During Working Hours...

Exterior view of Muan-gun Office (Photo by Muan-gun)

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Seo Young-seo] Muan County, Jeonnam, has disciplined 25 employees this year alone for various violations, including breaches of duty of diligence, receiving warnings and reprimands. Last year, 50 employees were disciplined, averaging about 50 disciplinary actions per year, drawing criticism that public service discipline has hit rock bottom.

In this regard, Kim San, the head of Muan County, recently ordered a high-intensity special inspection by the end of this month at an executive meeting to establish public service discipline.

According to Muan County on the 22nd, a level 6 social welfare official, Mr. A, was caught last month using a weight loss clinic during working hours under the pretext of a business trip.

Investigations by Muan County revealed that Mr. A visited the weight loss clinic in Namak New Town a total of 10 times from April to June.

Mr. A, who was in charge of child welfare duties, took advantage of the ease of business trips to visit the weight loss clinic during daytime hours, spending about 20 minutes per visit, according to the investigation.

In particular, Mr. A was promoted in January, which has led to criticism over his inappropriate conduct.

A contract employee working alone at the Muan Youth Center reported attendance by phone and did not properly observe working hours. Additionally, the office was kept open late after hours for private study, leading the county council to request improvements.

On the 7th, despite social distancing measures due to COVID-19, an employee of the Muan County Hyeongyeong-myeon Office was found to have used a pojangmacha (street food tent) at a time similar to a confirmed COVID-19 patient, resulting in the temporary closure of the Hyeongyeong-myeon Office.

Accordingly, Muan County is conducting special inspection activities until the 31st regarding cases such as drunk driving, compliance with attendance and lunch breaks, business trip management, civil complaint handling, negligence in duties, and violations of the public officials' code of conduct.

County head Kim San pointed out, “Despite the emergency situation caused by COVID-19, the laxity in public officials' discipline has gone too far. This is an act of forgetting the fundamental duty of public officials as servants to the residents and is the result of the organizational command system not functioning properly.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.