Outstanding Grade 6 Civil Servants to Be Fast-Tracked to Grade 5... Government Introduces Early Promotion System

Ministry of Personnel Management Announces Public Consultation on Civil Service Appointment Decree Amendments

Outstanding Grade 6 Civil Servants to Be Selected Through Performance Assessment, Competency Evaluation, and Interviews

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The government is introducing a “fast-track promotion system to grade 5,” which will promptly promote grade 6 civil servants with outstanding performance and abilities to grade 5. In fields requiring the accumulation of expertise, such as artificial intelligence (AI), a new “associate specialist” system will be established, allowing grade 6 and 7 rank-and-file civil servants to enter the specialist track.

On May 11, the Ministry of Personnel Management announced that it would issue a legislative notice for amendments to the Civil Servant Appointment Decree, the Regulations on the Operation of Open and Competitive Positions, and the Professional Civil Servant Personnel Regulations reflecting these changes.

This revision aims to restructure the public personnel system to focus on performance and ability, with the goal of building an “efficient government.” The plan is to reduce low morale in the public sector caused by promotion bottlenecks and to foster practical experts in fields requiring specialized knowledge through long-term service.

First, starting this year, the fast-track promotion system to grade 5 for grade 6 civil servants will be implemented. Each ministry may recommend grade 6 civil servants with outstanding work performance, after which the Ministry of Personnel Management will select successful candidates through performance reviews, competency assessments, and interviews. The Ministry will oversee the overall operation of the system and will establish fair and rigorous evaluation procedures.

The range of positions open for competitive application will also be expanded. Whereas competitive positions were previously limited to grade 5 or higher, they will now be extended to include grade 6 operational positions. For these newly established operational positions, even grade 7 civil servants will be eligible to apply, as the requirements will be relaxed.

A new “associate specialist” system will be introduced to foster expert civil servants. While the existing professional civil servant system mainly targeted grades 3 to 5, it will now be expanded to include grades 6 and 7. Civil servants who have served for three years or more at grade 6 or 7 and pass the selection exam will be appointed as associate specialists.

Expert civil servants will be able to build specialized capabilities by working for at least seven years in the same field, particularly in areas such as AI that require specialized skills and long-term experience. The Ministry of Personnel Management plans to secure more than 1,200 expert civil servants by 2028 and to establish a tailored personnel management system to further develop and enhance their expertise.

Human resource exchanges within the public sector will also be strengthened. To more effectively implement policies that require inter-agency collaboration, the Ministry of Personnel Management will designate core exchange positions and provide personnel benefits to exchange civil servants. Exchange civil servants will be able to reduce the minimum required years for promotion by up to half of their exchange experience, within a one-year limit.

The management of open positions will also be reinforced. The Ministry will regularly monitor the operation of open and competitive positions and will actively identify roles and areas in need of private sector expertise.

Kim Sunghoon, Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Personnel Management, said, “By strengthening preferential treatment for civil servants with performance and ability, we will enhance the capabilities of the public sector,” adding, “We will continue to pursue personnel innovation so that the public sector can develop the competitiveness needed to lead into the future.”