Public service reform: Time to roll up our sleeves

On Monday, the Ministry of Personal Management rolled out a plan to improve flexibility and autonomy in government personnel management. The crux of the proposal revolves around the abolition of the salary cap for termed public officials, specifically those of 4th class secretaries or above, and the reduction of the minimum service period, a requirement for positional promotion. This is to entice specialist talents in arenas such as space aviation and welfare medicine, fields notoriously difficult to infiltrate with a civil servant's pay packet, all the while infusing flexibility into an otherwise rigid public service society.

“Termed public servants,” referring to those contracted by the government as career officers for one to five years – will see their salary caps unshackled. The previous state of affairs only permitted salaries to reach up to 150% of an equivalent public servant's pay and 200% for physicians. From now on, secretaries, regardless of their ranking, can out-earn even a minister or vice minister. The progression from a 9th to a 3rd class position, formerly a 16-year required journey, has now been streamlined to just 11 years, facilitating a swift ascension through the ranks.

The struggle to attract outstanding private-sector talents to public service roles is a narrative that's been spun for quite some time. When COVID-19 tightened its grip, the government grappled with harnessing the prowess of top-tier private infectious disease experts. The researchers at the Korea Aerospace Research Institute, who etched their names in history with the successful launch of the Nuriho, found themselves with scant avenues for adequate compensation. Alarmingly, there is a gaping void of experts in information and communication technology (ICT), resources, and trade to respond to the global semiconductor tug-of-war and supply chain competition within government ranks.

One wonders how much this latest measure will energize a public service landscape awash with a culture of apathetic attitude. The salient point to consider here is that the abolition of the salary cap is tailored for high-ranking, termed officials, leaving little impact on those public officials who passed the civil service exam. Even with the possibility of accelerated promotions, it seems an uphill battle for young civil servants to break away from the prevailing culture of deference to seniority.

As we twiddle our thumbs, waiting for public service reform, disappointment festers amongst those disillusioned by low compensation and an inefficient organizational culture, prompting a mass exodus from the public service. A staggering 46% rise in the number of civil servants voluntarily leaving their posts was recorded, up from 3,837 in 2018 to 5,601 last year. An alarming 65% of civil servants in their 20s and 30s, those with less than five years of service, stated they would seek greener pastures given the opportunity. The revolving door of policy changes with each government changeover and the scapegoating of frontline civil servants for previous policy failures only compounds their disenchantment.

The implementation of radical innovation measures, such as a performance-based compensation system rewarding ability and achievement, is required to transform the culture of public service. For the diligent civil servants who devote themselves to professionalism and personal growth, we need to expand the horizons of their job and position options, not merely facilitate their promotions. Above all, our priority must be to dismantle the antiquated public service culture that quashes the ambition and creativity of our young civil servants.