Suwon City "in a Bind" as Related Legislation on Organizational Regulations Stalls

As the Ministry of the Interior and Safety delays related legislation on the structure and staffing regulations of local government agencies, Suwon City's organizational restructuring work is being postponed, leading to delays in personnel matters and consequently a loosening of discipline within Suwon's civil service.

In line with pledges from the fourth term of civilian government, the city is reviewing the establishment of the Education and Youth Department (4 divisions) dedicated to youth affairs and a new Business Support Division (tentative name, 3 divisions), as well as integrating the Culture and Tourism Department and Hwaseong Project Office into a Culture and Tourism Bureau to improve work efficiency in cultural and tourism operations.

Additionally, it is understood that the city is considering organizational restructuring plans suggested by relevant departments, including establishing separate divisions for light rail-related departments and for greenery and parks that are currently within the Parks Division, in response to the light rail project implementation.

However, Suwon City cannot complete its organizational assessment, including structural reorganization and expansion of department-level units (Grade 4 and above), as the 'Regulations on Administrative Structure and Staffing Standards of Local Government Agencies' have not yet been issued in revised form by the central government.

A city official stated, "We expect the Ministry of the Interior and Safety's regulations on structure and staffing standards to be legislatively announced only after the Lunar New Year holiday," adding, "We are frustrated in a situation where we need to complete the organizational assessment for administrative restructuring."

Among city civil servants, the results of the organizational assessment and consequent organizational restructuring and personnel changes have long been the center of attention.
In this context, departments under discussion for integration are experiencing poor implementation of their work and declining efficiency, while morale among their civil servants is also being affected, with negative impacts gradually growing.

One city official remarked, "In the case of work requiring long-term planning, it is unavoidable that it be affected by administrative restructuring following the organizational assessment," and added, "We can only wait for the results of the organizational restructuring review to come out quickly."

Another city official stated, "The administrative structure and workforce size remain identical to ten years ago," and said, "Despite the urgent need for organizational restructuring tailored to current realities for efficient on-site work management, local government agencies are suffering damage due to the central government's sluggishness."

Meanwhile, Suwon City is implementing administrative reorganization as a fourth-term civilian government pledge, including renaming the Department of Finance and Economy to the Department of Economic Commerce, reorganizing the Regional Economy Division, International Trade Division, and Agricultural Management Division into the Economic Affairs Division, Business Support Division, and Advanced Industry Division respectively, and establishing a Deputy Mayor for General Affairs and a Deputy District Chief (Grade 4).