Yeosu City Council Withdraws Exclusion of Secretary-General from Duties

Jeon Chang-gon Chairman Makes 'Magnanimous Concession' Considering Difficulties of Council Secretariat Staff

Lack of Communication with Yeosu City Deepened Mutual Distrust Between Both Sides

[Yeosu=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Shim Kyung-taek] The conflict between Yeosu City and the City Council over the personnel issue of the Secretary-General of the Yeosu City Council has been temporarily resolved after about a month with the City Council's decision to reinstate the Secretary-General to work.

The Yeosu City Council announced on the 16th that it recently decided to reinstate the Secretary-General of the City Council Secretariat, who had been excluded from legislative support duties following Yeosu City's second half personnel reshuffle.

Chairman Jeon Chang-gon said, "Due to personnel decisions that ignored the council, the Secretary-General was excluded from duties, but we judged that continuing this exhausting situation was undesirable and decided to make a magnanimous concession."

He also said, "I understand that the staff of the City Council Secretariat have faced many difficulties after this personnel change," and urged, "Since there are urgent issues such as overcoming the COVID-19 crisis, please focus more on carrying out your duties."

Earlier, on the 5th of last month, Yeosu City appointed Director B to the Secretary-General position instead of Director A, who was recommended by the chairman, in the regular personnel reshuffle for grade 5 and above in the second half of the year.

The Yeosu City Council responded by excluding the Secretary-General from duties, stating that this personnel appointment ignored the chairman's right of recommendation as stipulated in the Local Autonomy Act.

Although the decision to reinstate the Secretary-General has temporarily resolved the conflict between Mayor Kwon Oh-bong of Yeosu and Chairman Jeon Chang-gon of the City Council, it is pointed out that tensions still remain.

Since the 7th term of the local government, Yeosu City and the City Council have clashed over various issues such as the annex building expansion of the city hall, the integrated memorial tower issue, and the payment of disaster relief funds to all citizens.

Although this personnel conflict was temporarily resolved by the City Council's concession considering the difficulties faced by the City Council Secretariat staff caught in the middle, it is reported that there was no communication or prior consultation with Yeosu City regarding this matter.

Therefore, since this matter was decided solely by the City Council without communication with Yeosu City, many view that Mayor Kwon Oh-bong's image of poor communication has only deepened the distrust between the two sides.

Yeosu=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Shim Kyung-taek simkt7@asiae.co.kr

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