Editorial Do Not Sacrifice Civil Servants to Political Battles
Political clashes are intensifying over allegations of favoritism in the selection of institutions for a voucher business involving the spouse of Justice Minister nominee Kim Seung-won. Rep. Ju Jin-woo of the People Power Party released a recording in which the nominee's spouse reportedly said that "the team leader at the Suwon City Welfare Department extended the deadline and provided many conveniences," raising suspicions. It is the legitimate duty of National Assembly members to verify the qualifications and conduct of minister nominees. This is all the more so when such allegations are raised ahead of a confirmation hearing.
The problem lies in the fact that the blade of this inquiry is pointed at individual civil servants in Suwon City. Rep. Ju has even announced plans to criminally indict the responsible official. Before any wrongdoing or favoritism is confirmed, they are putting the name of a single civil servant at the center of political conflict.
What must be verified is the record, not the person
Suwon City's explanation differs from the expressions in the recording. The city states that there was no fact of extending the application period or changing the submission deadline for any particular institution, and that the controversial firefighting-related materials were already submitted before subsequent procedures. What the phrase "extended the deadline" in the recording actually meant in the administrative process is a matter that can be clarified by comparing the competition schedule, document submission records, and whether the same standards were applied to other institutions. What needs to be verified is the record, not the name of a civil servant to be listed in a criminal complaint.
What has collapsed is not just one person's life
We have witnessed far too many cases where political conflicts ultimately destroyed the lives of innocent civil servants. Every time there is a change in administration and whenever political struggles intensify, civil servants are dragged into the center of targeted audits and separate investigations. Those in charge who merely followed orders from superiors become investigation targets and undergo interrogations for years, and even when they are eventually cleared of charges, in the meantime they miss promotions, suffer physical and mental damage, and their families are shaken. Even when the conclusion is "no problem," no one compensates for the lost years and the ruined life. If there is wrongdoing, it is right to be audited and bear appropriate responsibility. However, the moment politics targets a person before right and wrong are even clarified, that ceases to be fact-finding and becomes intimidation.
The words of one civil servant are painful: "If politics means a National Assembly member singling out and pressuring one civil servant, who would want to work with a politician?" This is not merely an individual's grievance. If even civil servants who faithfully perform their duties according to regulations can see their lives shaken at any time by the stray bullets of political conflict, the civil service is no longer a place one can commit to with confidence. Capable talent turns away from public service, and those who remain are cautious to avoid responsibility. Instead of creative and proactive administration, "doing nothing out of excessive caution" takes hold. Sacrificing one civil servant to politics today is not merely one person's problem, but an act that undermines the morale of the entire future generation who will bear the responsibility of public service and the competitiveness of the civil service itself. The burden ultimately falls entirely on citizens.
Coincidentally, Suwon City faces a major organizational restructuring and subsequent personnel changes next month. This is a sensitive time when attention focuses on promotions and reassignments. When specific departments and officials are placed in the center of political conflict at such a time, what remains is only a cowed civil service and administration preoccupied with appearances.
Let political conflicts end in politics
We urge Rep. Ju: conduct political verification aimed at the nominee in the confirmation hearing room, and do so thoroughly with the nominee and the political sphere. That is politics' role. But do not drag an innocent civil servant into that battle. Whether any favoritism actually occurred should be determined by objective administrative records, and that process should begin with fact-finding, not criminal complaints.
Suwon City should not remain idle either. The city must proactively make the facts transparent and protect its employees who are exposed to the stray bullets of political conflict to the very end. It is right for political conflicts to end in politics. The moment civil servants who quietly do their work are taken hostage, what collapses is not just one person's life but the future of the entire civil service.