Fewer Police Officers Promoted Through Exams... Frontline Police "Hopeful"

Expanded Promotion Opportunities for Officers Below Inspector Rank
Transfer of Female Police Inspector to Police Superintendent Review at Provincial Police Agency

The police have decided to gradually reduce the proportion of promotion by examination to address the avoidance of investigative departments. Additionally, they will expand promotion opportunities for officers below the rank of Gyeongsa and introduce a special promotion system from Gyeonggam to Gyeongjeong.

On the 28th, the National Police Agency announced these measures in the "2023 Personnel System Improvement Plan" via Polnet, the internal police bulletin board.

The National Police Agency reflected ongoing concerns raised at the frontline, such as avoidance of heavy workload departments due to exam preparation, lack of practical experience, and relative deprivation. They decided to gradually reduce the current 50% level of promotion by examination. It is known that they are considering lowering the ratio of promotion by evaluation and promotion by examination, currently at about 5:5, to 7:3. Promotion by evaluation refers to promotion based on job performance.

The National Police Agency stated, "We intend to reduce the proportion of promotion by examination to ease the overheated organizational atmosphere around exam promotion and enhance work engagement to drive organizational capabilities. However, even if the proportion of promotion by examination is reduced, we will implement it gradually with a grace period so that employees currently preparing for the exam will not be disadvantaged."

Promotion opportunities for officers below the rank of Gyeongsa will also be expanded. The minimum required service period for promotion by rank will be shortened. Accordingly, the periods will change to 1 year from Patrol Officer to Senior Patrol Officer, 1 year from Senior Patrol Officer to Gyeongsa, 1 year from Gyeongsa to Gyeongwi, 1 year from Gyeongwi to Gyeonggam, 2 years from Gyeonggam to Gyeongjeong, and 2 years from Gyeongjeong to Chonggyeong. This means the minimum service period required for promotion to ranks above Gyeongwi will be reduced by one year each. The National Police Agency expects this will reduce the burden of managing long-term service evaluations at the frontline and further expand promotion opportunities.

The evaluation of female Gyeonggam for promotion to Gyeongjeong will also be transferred from the headquarters to the provincial police agencies. Until now, due to the relatively small number of female Gyeonggam, the headquarters conducted nationwide integrated promotion evaluations, but now conditions have been established for provincial agencies to conduct evaluations independently, so this change will be made. The number of female Gyeonggam increased about sevenfold from 161 in 2010 to 1,164 in 2023 over 13 years.

A special promotion system from Gyeonggam to Gyeongjeong will also be newly introduced. This aims to create conditions for capable employees to be rapidly promoted up to Gyeongjeong.

There is a welcoming atmosphere within the police regarding the changed personnel system. An investigative police officer at a frontline station in Seoul said, "Because the proportion of promotion by examination was high, capable employees often applied for easier posts such as district police stations and police boxes. It seems the direction to increase personnel in investigative departments is right, so expectations are high."

A female Gyeonggam working at a frontline police station said, "Allowing women to be promoted by evaluation at provincial police agencies, just like male officers, seems desirable from the perspective of fairness." A Chonggyeong-level officer at another police station also stated, "If female officers receive evaluations after judgment by their affiliated command, it will help them receive clear assessments of their work capabilities."

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