Will the Head of a Public Institution Center in Jeonnam Region Be Reappointed? 'Internal Turmoil'

Center Director Disciplined for 'Workplace Harassment' Faces Term Extension Evaluation, Employees Express Anxiety

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Yoon Jamin] A public enterprise A Center located in the Jeonnam region is in turmoil over the extension of the center director's term.

Some employees are opposing the extension of the center director's term.

According to Jeonnam Province and A Center employees on the 23rd, since the current center director Mr. B's term expires on the 24th of next month, a reappointment evaluation is scheduled for the 25th.

In the past, there was no reappointment regulation for the center director, but due to a legal amendment last year, only one extension is allowed. Accordingly, Mr. B, who has held the center director position for about 10 years, will be evaluated for reappointment for the first time.

The problem is that some center employees are opposing Mr. B's reappointment.

The employees claim that Mr. B frequently engages in abusive language and shouting, gives unfair work orders inside and outside working hours, instructs partial writing of doctoral dissertations, and orders improper recovery of performance bonuses, among other instances of power abuse.

In fact, an unprecedented situation occurred last November when some employees requested an audit of Mr. B's various misconducts to the audit office of the institution to which the center belongs.

The audit office recognized 'workplace harassment' and decided on a disciplinary action of 'salary reduction' for other matters due to insufficient evidence, but acknowledged mitigating reasons such as outstanding achievements, resulting in a 'reprimand' and spatial separation measures. Accordingly, Director B is currently working at an office in another region.

Disciplinary actions are divided into severe punishments such as dismissal, removal, demotion, suspension, and lighter punishments such as salary reduction and reprimand. A reprimand is the lowest level of disciplinary action.

Therefore, it is known that strong criticism arose among employees, calling the disciplinary action anachronistic.

Center employee Mr. C said, "Center employees are seriously concerned about work retaliation and repeated power abuse if Director B, who is the perpetrator of workplace power abuse, is reappointed," and added, "The evaluation process must be conducted very fairly as this is a grave situation."

The center is an institution jointly invested by Jeonnam Province and the Korean Intellectual Property Office, and in terms of work division, Jeonnam Province has the nature of an operating agency. It is responsible only for operational guidelines, while internal personnel regulations are handled by central agencies.

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