Customs Service 'Silent' on Request to Extend Working Hours for Part-Time Public Officials

National Integrated Public Officials Labor Union Part-Time Headquarters Issues One-Day Press Release Criticizing Customs Service for Blocking Employees Who Want to Work More Despite Hiring Due to Heavy Workload

[Asia Economy Reporter Jong-il Park] On May 3rd, 68 part-time public officials employed by the Korea Customs Service submitted requests to change their working hours, expressing their desire to extend their working hours.

However, nearly a month later, the Korea Customs Service has remained silent. According to Jeong Seong-hye, head of the Part-Time Public Officials Division of the National Integrated Public Officials Labor Union, in a statement on the 1st, "Since June 2019, several requests to change working hours have been submitted, but they have repeatedly been rejected over the past two years."

According to the division, in 2014, general part-time public officials with guaranteed tenure were appointed to work 20 hours per week aiming for a 70% employment rate. However, due to the rigid public service culture, there was no work available for them. On June 18, 2019, the Public Officials Appointment Decree was amended to allow part-time public officials to work up to 35 hours per week, up from a maximum of 25 hours, to improve work efficiency and continuity.

Furthermore, "Except for the Korea Customs Service, all central administrative agencies have either already expanded working hours or planned to do so starting June 2019 in accordance with the purpose of the legal amendment," adding, "Only part-time public officials under the Korea Customs Service are not benefiting from the amended law."

Additionally, during last year's National Assembly audit, a member of the Planning and Finance Committee questioned the Korea Customs Service about this issue, and the agency responded that they would "actively strive to expand working hours." However, six months later, no action has been taken, leading to claims that the Korea Customs Service has consistently responded insincerely to the issue of working hour expansion.

The Part-Time Public Officials Division has repeatedly requested improvements to their working conditions since June 2019 in line with the legal amendment through information disclosure, official documents, and the National Civil Petition system. They also sent official letters requesting three meetings with the Commissioner of the Korea Customs Service (on December 23, 2020, January 6, 2021, and May 3, 2021) to find solutions, but have yet to receive any response.

In particular, although the Korea Customs Service increased staffing at customs offices under its jurisdiction through a partial amendment to the organizational regulations on February 1, 2019, and despite the fact that employees who submitted working hour change requests twice in 2020 and 2021 could fill work gaps through expanded hours, the Service has not implemented such measures.

According to the Korea Customs Service’s report on the current and authorized number of part-time public officials, in the case of Incheon Customs, there is an authorized position for a Customs Grade 8 official that cannot be filled by full-time staff. Despite having employees eligible for working hour expansion utilizing this position, the Korea Customs Service has not implemented it, exemplifying convenience-driven, passive, and desk-bound administration.

Jeong Seong-hye, head of the Part-Time Public Officials Division of the National Integrated Public Officials Labor Union, stated, "I want to engage in dialogue with the Commissioner of the Korea Customs Service to revitalize the part-time public official system, improve the rigid organizational culture, and enhance work efficiency, but whether this will happen remains uncertain."

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