"When is the work? Are we slaves?"... Jamboree-drafted public officials and public institution employees 'boiling'

Ministry of Economy and Finance Requests Support from Over 40 Public Institutions Including Korea Development Bank and Export-Import Bank
"Is It Right for Thousands of Public Officials to Be Obsessed with the Jamboree?" Criticism

On the 8th, Scout members are preparing to withdraw at the Buan Saemangeum World Scout Jamboree campsite.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

As participants of the Jamboree dispersed to eight cities and provinces including Seoul, Gyeonggi, and Jeonbuk due to Typhoon 'Khanun', complaints have erupted from public institution employees and civil servants who were effectively forcibly mobilized to provide related support.

On the 9th, numerous posts from civil servants and public institution employees mobilized for 'Jamboree support' appeared on the anonymous workplace community 'Blind'.

An author affiliated with the Korea Development Bank wrote, "The Ministry of Economy and Finance contacted not only civil servants but the entire public institution and issued a forced mobilization order to gather three days later in the evening," adding, "The location was undecided, but they told us to submit our names first. Naturally, there is zero allowance or support money," expressing frustration.

A writer who verified affiliation with the Korea Credit Guarantee Fund said, "Jamboree mobilization. If our company doesn’t need personnel, they adjust the number and mobilize accordingly," and complained, "They didn’t even send an official document, just an email. Why do we have to go?" When asked in comments, "What are they making you do after mobilization?" the writer replied, "According to the email, we are to guide personnel and organize K-pop performances."

A writer from Korea Airports Corporation expressed dissatisfaction, saying, "We are going too. Are public enterprises slaves?" and an employee who verified affiliation with Korea Electric Power Corporation strongly criticized, saying, "It’s true that public enterprises are easy targets, but isn’t this going too far?"

[Photo by Blind]

Civil servants also posted many criticisms regarding the mobilization of personnel for Jamboree support.

A writer who identified as a civil servant said, "Within a day, dozens of accommodations were rented, and almost all employees of the office were mobilized to prepare meals and bedding within the time the children were moving," expressing frustration, "Is it right for thousands of civil servants to stop all work until the 12th and focus solely on the Jamboree?"

A writer from Seoul City Hall said, "There is a forced mobilization atmosphere," and pointed out, "There are people who ruin the event and others who clean up the mess."

Another civil servant said, "We are firefighters, but we were mobilized as Jamboree accommodation guards," appealing, "Our team has no manpower, but we were forcibly mobilized because we are a rescue team."

In addition, many posts expressed dissatisfaction and criticism such as "Public institutions are mobilizing personnel for forced volunteer work, and that too on a Friday evening," "What era is this that they make us do unpaid labor under the name of volunteering," and "Who will take responsibility if an accident happens?"

[Photo by Blind]

Earlier, the Ministry of Economy and Finance reportedly ordered about 40 public institutions including the Korea Development Bank, Export-Import Bank, and Korea Racing Authority to support the 'Saemangeum World Scout Jamboree K-pop Concert' held on the 11th, at the request of the Jamboree Organizing Committee. Approximately 1,000 public institution employees are expected to be mobilized, with each institution deploying between 10 and 40 personnel.

On the day of the K-POP concert, the 11th, public institution employees will be assigned one per bus carrying Jamboree participants, guiding them to the concert venue at Seoul Sangam World Cup Stadium and escorting them back to their accommodations after the performance.

Labor unions are also opposing this. The Industrial Bank of Korea union stated in a message to its members, "The management is pushing for personnel dispatch without prior agreement with the union," and added, "If violations of the collective agreement are confirmed, we will take strict action against management. We will also examine the legal grounds regarding the Ministry of Economy and Finance’s mistreatment of public institution employees."

The Federation of Korean Trade Unions Financial Union issued a statement saying, "To prevent the failure of the Jamboree, the government is recklessly and arbitrarily mobilizing personnel," criticizing, "Although it is called a ‘request for cooperation,’ it is almost at the level of forced conscription." They further pointed out, "There is no legal basis for mobilizing public institution employees, and the safety of the personnel involved is likely to be neglected," and criticized, "The reason financial public institutions cannot defy the Ministry of Economy and Finance’s orders is because it is the 'boss' controlling the budget and wages."

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