A public service in crisis: Analyzing rising early resignation rates

Over the past nine years, the public sector has been grappling with a significant challenge, staggering a 5.6-fold increase in the number of civil servants resigning within a year of service. This surge, reaching 3,021 last year, is a cause for concern, indicating that even those who successfully join the public sector through highly competitive exams often leave within a year. Considering those with less than five years of service, the number of retirees rises by 2.6 times, totaling 13,568. What's more, the number of new hires this year (5,708) who have already left public service is more than double the number of new hires.

This wave of early resignations among lower-level civil servants highlights issues within the public sector culture, such as low pay and a rigid, seniority-based system. Many new hires report frustration with a work environment that assigns them burdensome tasks and confronts them with frequent complaints, while a lack of performance-based incentives stifles motivation. Some outdated practices, such as serving meals to department heads or handing out rice cakes during HR assessment periods, persist in certain local governments.

The average monthly salary for a Grade 9 civil servant is 2.22 million won, barely above the minimum wage once holiday pay is included. After taxes, take-home pay is less than 2 million won. With rising demand for administrative services, these civil servants face heavier workloads, particularly in response to social and natural disasters, as well as an increasing volume of hostile complaints.

Not only are entry-level officials affected, but the resignation rate among mid-level officials, who serve as pillars of the organization, has also grown significantly. Over nine years, the number of national civil servants with five to 10 years of experience leaving their posts has risen by 2.8 times, reaching 3,613. Frequent disciplinary actions and demotions tied to political changes push many toward private-sector opportunities before they reach higher positions. For instance, the Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Energy has seen staff avoid assignments linked to the Blue Whale Project, while the Ministry of Health and Welfare sees reluctance toward medical reform roles.

The former fervor among young people for public service positions was unsustainable. Still, the current exodus of skilled professionals is not just a trend - it is a crisis that jeopardizes the quality of public administration. To address this, a shift toward a performance-based personnel and compensation system is necessary, alongside efforts to eliminate unnecessary tasks and an authoritarian work culture. Creative and innovative policies cannot emerge from a rigid organization that fails to accommodate young civil servants.