Government Employees Federation Puts Up Banners Criticizing Democratic Party Assemblyman Kim Moonsu's "Lackey" Remarks in His Constituency

"Apologize for the 'Ttakkari' Remark"
Banners Posted at 20 Locations

The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions Government Employees Federation (Chairman Shin Donggeun, hereinafter referred to as the Government Employees Federation) announced on May 11 that it had put up banners criticizing Assemblyman Kim Moonsu of the Democratic Party of Korea at 20 locations in downtown Suncheon, Jeonnam, his constituency, on May 8, demanding a public apology for his remarks belittling public servants.

Banners posted by the Public Officials Federation in 20 major locations in Suncheon, Jeonnam. Provided by the Public Officials Federation.

The controversial remarks were made during the “Cucumber Day” event held in the Nakan-myeon area of Suncheon on May 2. Assemblyman Kim (Suncheon, Gwangyang, Gokseong, Gurye-gap, Jeonnam) was captured on video telling preliminary candidates for the June 3 local elections, “Lawmakers are created to keep things in check. If you want to do menial work, you should be a public servant.”

The term "ttakkari" is a slang word used to belittle someone who does trivial errands. As the video clip spread through social media, criticism mounted both inside and outside the public sector.

As the controversy grew, Assemblyman Kim posted on his Facebook page, “I apologize for the inappropriate slang that I used while explaining the dynamics of cutoffs by the city council chair, the relationship of checks and balances between the mayor and city council members, and the hierarchical structure of civil servants.” However, public servant organizations did not accept this as a sufficient apology.

The Government Employees Federation stated that after Assemblyman Kim’s Facebook apology, it issued an official statement on May 6, repeatedly urging a public apology, but there was no further response. Posting the banners was a follow-up action. The banners carried phrases such as “Public servants are not anyone’s lackeys” and “Do not disparage public servants who work day and night for the people.” The banners were placed in areas of Suncheon with high concentrations of citizens and in major downtown locations.

The Government Employees Federation stated, “Public servants are not people of a particular power or political force, but public workers for the entire nation,” and added, “Referring to public servants—who are responsible for the lives, safety, and administrative services for the public—as ‘ttakkari’ is a serious insult that cannot be taken lightly.” It continued, “This issue is not just a simple slip of the tongue or a personal expression, but reveals a distorted perception of public service and the entire public sector. The political sphere must correct this anachronistic attitude of viewing public servants as mere subordinates of the administration.”

The federation explained, “Although we gave ample opportunity for an apology through an official statement, there was no responsible action. Believing this is not something that can simply be ignored, we decided to post banners throughout the Suncheon region.”

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