Outstanding Achievements and Promotions... Firefighter Faces Dismissal Threat Over False Career Records

Appointed through Special Recruitment for Rescue Recognizing SSU Experience
Complaint Received Regarding Career Requirements from 20 Years Ago

Amid efforts to swiftly rescue lives at disaster and accident sites by selectively hiring former military special forces personnel as experienced hires, Mr. A, a senior public official who served as a firefighter for 20 years, is facing the risk of appointment cancellation.

According to the Fire Agency on the 5th, Mr. A was appointed as a rescue team member of the Gyeongnam Fire Headquarters in 2003, having his experience in the Navy Special Warfare Unit (SSU), a special forces unit, recognized.

The photo is not related to the specific content of the article. [Photo by Yonhap News]

However, it was revealed that he did not actually meet the requirements for experienced hires. At the time, the fire authorities required at least three years of experience, but his actual service period was confirmed to be 2 years and 1 month. Although he should have been disqualified based on documents, he was appointed as a firefighter with four years of experience recognized.

Mr. A has demonstrated excellent job performance as an actual firefighter and has been recognized by his colleagues, even receiving a special promotion. He currently serves as the team leader of the 119 Rescue Team at a fire station in Changwon, Gyeongnam.

However, the fact that Mr. A’s experience was inflated was reported through a complaint to the National Petition Board, and after verification, the Gyeongnam Fire Headquarters canceled his acceptance on the 10th of last month due to "lack of eligibility." The Changwon Fire Headquarters, where Mr. A is currently assigned, plans to hold a hearing within this month to hear his explanation and then make a final decision on the cancellation of his appointment.

The Fire Agency and the Gyeongnam Fire Headquarters do not plan to request separate investigations or disciplinary actions against Mr. A and the hiring officials at the time, as the statute of limitations has passed.

However, the wages and pension for the period Mr. A worked as a firefighter will be handled according to the appointment cancellation regulations. According to past cases, wages earned after being hired despite lacking eligibility are recognized by the fire authorities. However, the government pension will not be paid, and only the principal amount paid so far will be refunded.

A Fire Agency official stated, "Firefighters are national public officials, but personnel authority lies with each local government head, so the Gyeongnam Fire Headquarters canceled the acceptance, and the Changwon Fire Headquarters, where he is currently working, will cancel the final appointment. If the appointment is canceled, Mr. A’s wages earned so far will be recognized, but he will not receive a pension and will only get back the principal amount he paid."

Meanwhile, the Gyeongnam Fire Headquarters has launched an investigation into the circumstances of the case and is conducting a survey to see if there are similar cases.

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