Suwon Special City's First 'Brother Grade-4 Secretary Officials' Appointed

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Jung Jun-sung] Suwon Special City has appointed its first 'Brother Grade-4 Secretary Officials.'

The city promoted Kwon Hyeok-do, former Urban Planning Division Chief, to Local Science and Technology Secretary Official and assigned him as Director of the Water Works in its regular personnel reshuffle effective July 1st. With Kwon Hyeok-do's Water Works Director promotion to Secretary Official, he and his older brother Kwon Hyeok-joo, Director of Library Operations who was promoted to Secretary Official in January 2024, have become Suwon City's first 'Brother Grade-4 Secretary Officials.'

The 'Brother Grade-4 Secretary Officials' represent a symbolic case reflecting changes in Suwon City's personnel management.

In the civil service, when family members hold senior positions in the same organization, there has been social concern about fairness and equity. Personnel decision-makers have had to be more cautious in their decisions to prevent unnecessary misunderstandings.

The promotion of Kwon Hyeok-do, the Water Works Director, represents a result of evaluation based on job performance and organizational contribution, transcending preconceived notions. It demonstrates that personnel decisions are made fairly based on individual competence and achievements, without consideration of family relationships. It symbolically reflects Suwon City's personnel principles of prioritizing ability and performance over personal connections such as school ties, regional ties, and blood relations.

Since the start of the 8th civilian administration, the city has adopted the principle of 'fair personnel management centered on performance and expertise' and is selecting talent based on job performance and organizational contribution to establish a personnel culture where workers are duly recognized for their efforts. The city is also establishing a personnel system where anyone with performance and ability can be evaluated fairly regardless of background.