"Fear of Evaluation After Retirement"

Seoul District Office Chiefs Show Bitter Expressions Upon Hearing Unfavorable Rumors About Their Predecessors After Retirement

Civil Servants Hear Various Rumors and Evaluate... Criticisms That Current Officeholders Should Take to Heart

"Current district office chiefs will eventually retire someday, and at that time, they must carry out their duties while seriously accepting evaluations."

This was recently said by a manager of a district office in Seoul.

Seoul's 25 autonomous districts are large organizations with 1,200 to 1,500 or more employees. Moreover, when including employees of affiliated facility corporations and cultural foundations, the number increases to about 2,000.

Because of this, when one becomes a district office chief, they exercise powerful authority such as personnel rights. During their term, the district office chief acts as the 'absolute ruler' of the autonomous district.

In particular, they hold the crucial power of promotion over civil servants, making them undoubtedly very powerful.

Since the 8th popularly elected term, many district office chiefs in Seoul have changed.

Riding the wave of regime change, 17 district office chiefs from the People Power Party have emerged, while 8 are from the Democratic Party.

The number of Democratic Party district office chiefs, who held an overwhelming majority during the 5th to 7th terms, has significantly decreased. Seoul district office chiefs often get re-elected or replaced.

Seoul Plaza in front of Seoul City Hall

District office chiefs from the People Power Party include those of Gangnam, Gangdong, Gangseo, Gwangjin, Guro, Dobong, Dongdaemun, Dongjak, Mapo, Seodaemun, Seocho, Songpa, Yangcheon, Yeongdeungpo, and Jongno districts, and Yongsan district chief, who left the party after the Yongsan disaster and is now independent, are all first-term chiefs.

Those from the Democratic Party include the chiefs of Gangbuk, Gwanak, Geumcheon, Nowon, Seongdong, Seongbuk, Eunpyeong, and Jungnang districts, all of whom are second- or third-term chiefs.

Through the 8th popularly elected local elections, the faces of Seoul district office chiefs have undergone many changes.

Especially, civil servants in districts where the chief has changed are dedicating themselves to fulfilling campaign promises in accordance with the new chief’s work style as the first anniversary of the new chief’s inauguration approaches.

Meanwhile, various evaluations of former district office chiefs continue. A manager from one autonomous district said, "Since the district office chief holds personnel rights over all employees, people cannot speak openly while they are in office, but various evaluations about retired chiefs continue." He added that although he could not speak specifically about personnel or project-related matters during their tenure, he had heard several unfavorable rumors.

Another district executive said, "Seeing that unfavorable incidents during the tenure of retired district chiefs are passed down through unofficial oral transmission makes one realize how important the conduct of public officials is."

These criticisms seem to be something current local government heads should take to heart. As local autonomy has been implemented for over 30 years, it is important to note that career civil servants’ political awareness has greatly improved.

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