7 out of 10 junior civil servants consider quitting

Seven out of 10 civil servants who have worked for less than five years at their posts have considered leaving their jobs, according to government data Tuesday, indicating a shift in the perception of what had once been considered among the most coveted positions by young workers for lifetime job security to prioritize a horizontal and efficient work culture.

A survey of public sector organizational culture among civil servants with low seniority conducted by the Interior Ministry submitted to Rep. Wi Seong-gon of the Democratic Party of Korea showed that 32,905 out of 48,248 respondents, or 68.2 percent of the total, replied "yes" when asked if they had considered quitting their positions in the public sector.

The reasons for such consideration were low financial compensation, having to deal with malicious civil complaints and excessive workload.

The monthly pay of a grade nine public servant -- the lowest under South Korea's nine-grade civil servant system -- starts from 1.87 million won ($1,360), according to the salary table for public officials published by the Ministry of Personnel Management this year. South Korean wage earners took home an average of 3.53 million won per month in 2022, according to Statistics Korea.

Meanwhile, 45.6 percent of the respondents said they were unhappy with the public sector's working methods. In particular, the survey found they were dissatisfied with the reporting process, where they would have to create and submit unnecessary documents. Some 39.5 percent said they were unhappy with the organizational culture in the public sector that often caters to hierarchy and top-down control, as well as forcing the sacrifice of individuals for the greater good.

Also, 37.2 percent of respondents expressed dissatisfaction with their work-life balance, citing being required to participate in events and activities not related to their work and having to work during emergencies or urgent situations.

Based on the survey, the ministry said it would come up with plans to create a favorable work culture for junior public servants.