Seongdong-gu New Public Officials Special Probation Completion Ceremony

Instead of the customary 'Sibo Tteok Sharing' culture to celebrate the completion of the probationary period for new public officials, senior public officials held a congratulatory event

Recognized for proactive attitude despite visual impairment... Presented a handmade certificate and crown to senior public officials

Seongdong-gu (Mayor Jeong Wono) announced on the 28th that instead of the customary 'Sibo Tteok Sharing' culture to celebrate the completion of the probationary period for newly appointed public officials, they held a congratulatory event by senior public officials.

In mid-April, a secret meeting was held after working hours at the office of the Sustainable Development City Division of Seongdong-gu. The purpose was to prepare a secret event to celebrate the next day’s probation completion of Officer Lee Seungjin.

'Sibo' refers to a kind of probation period that a public official candidate goes through before being officially appointed as a public official. After the six-month probation period ends, they become a 'real public official.' On the day the probation ends, there has long been a culture where the new public official shares tteok (rice cakes) with senior public officials. However, recently, the 'Sibo Tteok culture' was criticized as a form of power harassment on online communities, sparking public attention and even leading to ministerial instructions to improve this practice.

Seongdong-gu also sought to abolish the 'Sibo Tteok Sharing custom' and instead held a small party where senior public officials congratulated the new official. In fact, this officer is a special employee in the Sustainable Development City Division. Despite having a congenital genetic visual impairment, he is an indispensable 'essential employee' due to his proactive attitude in finding as many tasks as possible that he can perform and his unique witty storytelling.

Lee Seung-jin, a public official, smiling brightly at a small celebration party held by senior officials to commemorate the completion of his probation period.

The office was decorated with pretty balloons and a small commemorative ceremony was held. Officer Lee also secretly prepared a special event. He personally made certificates and paper crowns for the senior public officials he works with, creating 'our own awards ceremony.' He made certificates remembering each staff member’s characteristics and the gratitude he felt toward them.

He awarded the 'Shrimp Snack Award' to the senior who made everyone keep coming back with funny words and attention, the 'MacGyver Award' to the versatile senior who fixes things well, the 'Mother Teresa Award' to the senior who always kindly answers employees’ questions, and the 'Jarvis Award' to the senior who observes and helps with the inconveniences faced by a visually impaired person. The senior public officials who received the awards beamed with big smiles and sometimes shed tears of emotion.

A district official said, “On the day of 'probation completion' or 'becoming a real public official,' there is no set rule about who is treated or who prepares. Senior public officials celebrate the official appointment and encourage the future, and the new public official receives congratulations and shares joy with the seniors who have become reliable mentors.”

He added, “We hope that this small event on a day when colleagues who spend more time together than family celebrate and appreciate each other will be an opportunity to bring a small change to the culture of public official probation completion.”

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