Kim Bu-yeong, Changnyeong County Governor's Appointment is a 'Disaster,' Not a 'Mesh'

Yeongsan Samil Bereaved Families Association Seo Chang-ho, Public Relations Director, Holds 'One-Person Protest' in Front of County Office

Seo Chang-ho, head of the publicity team of the Yeongsan Independence Corps Bereaved Families Association, is holding a solo protest, calling the special recruitment of Grade 5 candidates for Hadong County Mayor by Kim Bu-young, mayor of Changnyeong County, Gyeongnam, a failure. / Photo by Kim Wook

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Wook] Kim Bu-young, the governor of Changnyeong-gun, Gyeongnam, is facing strong backlash after appointing a former provincial council colleague who ran for Hadong-gun governor as a grade 5 special recruitment officer and effectively demoting the head of the Agricultural Technology Center to a section chief in the personnel reshuffle on the 28th.

Seo Chang-ho, the publicity director of the Yeongsan Samil Independence Corps Bereaved Families Association, held a one-person protest for one hour from 8:30 a.m. on the 30th at the intersection in front of the county office, stating, “Specially recruiting a Hadong-gun governor candidate as a grade 5 Planning and Budget Officer with a minimum annual salary of 50 million won is proof that Governor Kim Bu-young does not trust the abilities of Changnyeong county officials and believes there are no talented people among them.” He raised his voice, saying, “The strong response from the public officials’ union and a public apology to the citizens are also necessary. Clearly explain to the people of Changnyeong why this special recruitment was made.”

Seo said, “(To Governor Kim) Please answer the public question of whether there really was no capable person among the people of Changnyeong to appoint as the Planning and Budget Officer,” and criticized, “Considering the taxpayers’ money as pocket money and assigning an unqualified person who fits the code to an important position is an insult and mockery of the citizens.”

This contrasts with the case of former governor Han Jung-woo, who did not appoint two policy advisors as a budget-saving measure.

Seo stated, “Officials who fit the governor’s code were promoted, while those who did not were subjected to demotion and reassignment to minor posts, an abuse of personnel authority,” and asked, “Do you think such personnel decisions were made justly, fairly, and righteously?”

He added, “I will continue the one-person protest every day until this disastrous personnel decision is corrected.”

Meanwhile, on the first day of the one-person protest, five to six civic group executives prepared warm coffee and showed support around Director Seo.

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