Kim Gap-dong's Perspective Personnel Appointments and the Right Person in the Right Place

The essence of personnel management lies in selecting talented people and placing them in the right positions—in other words, 'recruitment' and 'appointment.' This is known as having the right person in the right place (適材適所).

Since all matters in this world are handled by people, should personnel decisions go wrong, they can become the cause of everything falling apart. This is why there is a saying that 'personnel management determines all affairs (人事が萬事).'

However, placing people in the right positions is truly a difficult task. Even with careful deliberation and thoughtful consideration, there are countless instances where appointments fail to meet expectations. Moreover, there are no shortage of people who not only fail in their duties but even tarnish the positions they have vacated.

Discovering and recommending talent reflects on the recommender's reputation and becomes a measure of their own evaluation. Yet there are leaders who undermine the fairness of personnel management themselves, blemishing their own image. In such cases, evil intervenes and personnel management becomes forgotten affairs (망사, a play on words).

The theory of impartial personnel appointments through balanced employment of talent—known as Tangpyeong-ron. The first king to propose this was King Sukjong of the Joseon Dynasty. As factional disputes between the Noron, Soron, and Namin created political turmoil, he devised this as a solution. Sukjong's thinking was that if the king and ministers acted with one mind, revering integrity and virtue while managing personnel appointments fairly, political conflicts would be resolved. However, Sukjong's vision remained merely an ideal. His personnel policy was largely characterized by favoritism, employing people according to his own preferences and selecting officials to maintain and strengthen royal authority. As a result, sudden political shifts occurred three times in what are known as 'transitions' (環局). These included the 'Gyeongsin Transition' where the Namin faction collapsed and the Seo In faction took power, the 'Gisa Transition' where Sukjong used the crown prince issue raised by the Seo In to remove them from power and favor the Namin again, and the 'Gapseul Transition' where he expelled the Namin and returned the Seo In to power following the deposition of Jang Ok-jeong. As a result, the state's condition deteriorated and the people fell into hardship, with the damage returning entirely to them.

Looking back at history, was it only Sukjong? Even until the Park Geun-hye administration, numerous trial-and-errors resulting from improper personnel appointments and appointments of unsuitable individuals have left aftereffects to this day.

In any organization, institution, or group, personnel appointments are among the first things done when leadership changes. Even if the organization's system undergoes little change, personnel changes through appointments invariably occur. However, these appointments sometimes lack fairness, creating problems.

The personnel authority of heads of local governments is absolute. Even if elected with less than a majority approval rating, they exercise 100% authority over personnel decisions. This is why heads of local governments, as 'unchecked power,' can dominate the civil service. As a result, the word 'abuse of authority' frequently comes up. Close associates are openly promoted, while those who supported or were suspected of supporting opposing candidates face overt disadvantages. Military-style personnel management and placing one's own people in positions occur openly.

This abuse of personnel authority by leaders lacking impartiality leads to corruption. Among civil servants, it produces only those who are cautious and cautious, while regional development takes a back seat. When it becomes more severe, it not only hastens individual downfall but also jeopardizes the future of painstakingly nurtured local democracy. This demonstrates how important and equally difficult personnel management is.

It appears that Suwon City's second round of personnel appointments in the seventh civil-elected term will soon take place. Including the Deputy Mayor and 15 civil servants of grades 3, 4, and 5, approximately 700 civil servants are expected to be promoted or transferred. Consequently, Suwon City's civil service community is stirring these days in a state of calm tension.

We hope that the personnel appointments for Suwon's future ahead of its designation as a special metropolitan city will be ones that everyone can accept. We also hope to see the wisdom of selecting talented individuals tailored to the right positions.

Kim Gap-dong (CEO of Suwon Ilbo)