Gyeonggi Governor Choo Mi-ae, a Senior Public Servant and Working Mom: "I was broken at first. After about 10 years, I became an expert"

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Gyeonggi Province Governor Choo Mi-ae presented appointment certificates to 75 new public officials at the '2026 Second Half New Public Officials Appointment Certificate Ceremony' held at the Provincial Government Building on the 23rd, congratulating them on their first steps in public service.

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Governor Choo said in her congratulatory address, "When I see all of you today, my heart thrills as well. It vividly reminds me of the excitement and trembling I felt when I first started my career as a public official," recalling when she began her career as a judge at the district court.

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Governor Choo stated, "I also struggled at first. I collided with obstacles and failed repeatedly. I often wondered why my intentions weren't carried out, couldn't sleep, received criticism, and shed tears alone." She continued, "Later, I realized that these were part of the process of growing as a judge, and I gradually gained some peace of mind. After about 10 years, I felt intuition developing. As my intuition grew, I gained confidence and speed in understanding matters and drawing conclusions, and I felt like I had become an expert."

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She added, "While you may hold dreams today, if those dreams collapse, you'll have thoughts like 'Why did I come here?' or 'I wasn't like this originally.' When such thoughts come, please remember my words today. After about 10 years of work, you'll master this field, and even if you take a different path, you'll develop the capability to carry it out confidently," she emphasized.

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Governor Choo also advised, "You have seniors and juniors. You are never alone, so you don't have to solve or judge everything by yourself. As time accumulates through communication together, your capabilities and sense of mission as a public official will grow, and you'll gain your own sense of accomplishment."

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At the ceremony, a public official oath and certificate presentation were held, along with a communication session with the governor. New public officials freely asked Governor Choo Mi-ae questions about public service.

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When a new official who had recently given birth asked Governor Choo for advice as a senior working mother, she responded candidly, "I have many regrets. Children wait for time with their mother, but when the mother is tired and the house is messy, she gets angry and scolds them. While this situation is inevitable, no one can take a mother's place. The most important thing is to give children the feeling that 'I have my mom,' and 'my mom loves me the most.' Please do your best to convey that," offering heartfelt encouragement.

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To a new official who asked about how to write good reports, Governor Choo advised, "It's important to first present your thoughts and then provide supporting evidence to develop them. By doing this, you naturally become aware of whether the development flows naturally or feels forced. I think the more reports you write, the better."

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The 75 new civil servants who received appointment certificates on this day will be deployed to various departments as civil servants of grades 7-9, researchers, and instructors to begin their duties.