CHAPTER I GENERAL PROVISIONS
The purpose of this Decree is to prescribe special cases concerning the reassignment, personnel management, etc. of former public officials in technical service and in extraordinary civil service as technical and contractual services are abolished and the scope of extraordinary civil service is reduced pursuant to the State Public Officials Act (Act No. 11530).
| Article 2 (Scope of application) |
This Decree shall apply to the following State public officials in the executive branch: <Amended on Feb. 27, 2014>
| 1. | A public official deemed appointed as a public official in general service pursuant to Article 3 of the Addenda to the partially amended State Public Officials Act (Act No. 11530) (hereinafter referred to as the "amended State Public Officials Act"); |
| 2. | A person who is deemed passed the examination for appointment as public officials in general service pursuant to Article 4 of the Addenda to the amended State Public Official Act; |
| 3. | A person who is deemed appointed as a foreign service official pursuant to Article 3(1) of the Addenda to the partially amended State Public Officials Act (Act No. 12182) (hereinafter referred to as the "amended Foreign Service Officials Act"). |
CHAPTER II REASSIGNMENT OF PUBLIC OFFICIALS IN THE MANAGEMENT AND OPERATION JOB FAMILY
| Article 3 (Reassignment of public officials in management and operation job family) |
| (1) | Any of the following public officials may be reassigned to job series (excluding those of the management and operation job family and the postal job family; hereinafter the same shall apply) in which the prescribed number of personnel is increased, corresponding to the reduction in personnel in the job series of the management and operation job family due to a reorganization of a relevant institution, through a reassignment examination (hereinafter referred to as "reassignment examination") under Article 28-3 of the State Public Officials Act (hereinafter referred to as the "Act"): |
| 2. | A public official appointed as a State public official pursuant to Article 28(2)7 of the Act or transferred pursuant to Article 28-2 of the Act after initial appointment as a public official in the management and operation job family under other statutes or regulations. |
| (2) | For the positions of public officials in general service, whose number is increased due to reorganization under paragraph (1), public officials who pass the reassignment examination within the management and operation job family of the relevant institution shall be appointed at the time determined by the Minister of Personnel Management, regardless of the current number of excess officials in general service at the institution. (hereinafter referred to as "reassignment"). <Amended on Nov. 19, 2014> |
| (3) | Notwithstanding Article 24(2) of the Common Rules of the Organization and the Prescribed Number of Personnel of Administrative Agencies, in job series where personnel reductions are not applied within the management and operation job family of the relevant institution, reassignment may be made deeming that a quota corresponding to the number of persons who passed a reassignment examination exists in the intended job series for reassignment. In such cases, the relevant institution shall be deemed to have a separate number of personnel corresponding to such surplus, until the actual number of public officials in general service belonging to the relevant job series aligns with the prescribed quota. |
| (4) | Necessary matters for the scope of job series corresponding to those of the management and operation job family under paragraph (1), reassignment, and other relevant matters shall be determined by the Minister of Personnel Management. <Amended on Nov. 19, 2014> |
| Article 4 (Reassignment examination administering agency) |
The competent Ministers (hereinafter referred to as "competent Ministers") defined in subparagraph 3 of Article 2 of the Decree on the Appointment of Public Officials (hereinafter referred to as the "Appointment Decree") may administer reassignment examinations directly or entrust this affair to the Minister of Personnel Management. <Amended on Nov. 19, 2014> [The amended provisions of Article 4 of the Presidential Decree No. 24856 (Nov. 20, 2013) shall remain effective until December 31, 2016 pursuant to Article 2 of the Addenda to that Act]
| Article 5 (Requirements and method of reassignment examination) |
| (1) | A public official who has served for at least 6 months in the management and operation job family at an equivalent class to the intended class for reassignment may apply for the reassignment examination, regardless of whether he or she holds a qualification certificate under Article 18 of the Decree on Public Officials Appointment Examinations (hereinafter referred to as the "Examination Decree"). |
| (2) | Reassignment examination shall be conducted using any of the following methods: <Amended on Nov. 19, 2014> |
| 1. | A multiple-choice written examination; in such cases, if deemed necessary by the competent Minister, a practical examination may also be conducted; |
| 2. | Document screening and interviews (applicable only to those who hold a master's degree or higher in a field related to the intended job series for reassignment); |
| 3. | Document screening (applicable only to holders of qualification certificates determined by the Minister of Personnel Management). |
| (3) | The subjects of the written examination under paragraph (2)1 shall be as specified in Appendix 1; provided, if deemed necessary by the competent Minister, in consideration of the characteristics, etc. of the business affairs of the relevant institution, Appendix 1 of the Examination Decree may be applied in consultation with the Minister of Personnel Management. <Amended on Nov. 19, 2014> |
[The amended provisions of Article 5 of the Presidential Decree No. 24856 (Nov. 20, 2013) shall remain effective until December 31, 2016 pursuant to Article 2 of the Addenda to that Act]
| Article 6 (Determination of success in reassignment examination) |
| (1) | In the multiple-choice written examination under Article 5(2)1, a person who has scored at least 40 percent of the perfect score in each subject and at least 60 percent of the total score in all subjects shall be a successful candidate. |
| (2) | In an interview under Article 5(2)2, a candidate rated "poor" in 2 or more of the 5 elements of assessment under Article 5(3) of the Examination Decree or rated "poor" in any of the same elements by a majority of the examiners, shall be deemed to have failed. |
[The amended provisions of Article 6 of the Presidential Decree No. 24856 (Nov. 20, 2013) shall remain effective until December 31, 2016 pursuant to Article 2 of the Addenda to that Act]
| Article 7 (Public officials newly employed in the management and operation job family) |
If a person, etc. who retired to become a public official in non-career service while serving as a public official in technical service is newly employed as a public official in a management and operation job family equivalent to the class held in technical service in consultation with the Minister of Personnel Management, Articles 3 through 6 shall apply mutatis mutandis to a reassignment examination, reassignment, etc. of the relevant public official. <Amended on Nov. 19, 2014>
CHAPTER III APPOINTMENT OF FORMER PUBLIC OFFICIALS IN EXTRAORDINARY CIVIL SERVICE AS PUBLIC OFFICIALS IN GENERAL SERVICE
| Article 8 (Appointment of public officials in extraordinary civil service as those in general service) |
Pursuant to Article 3(2) of the Addenda to the amended State Public Officials Act, the competent Minister may appoint public officials in extraordinary civil service in office before December 12, 2013 (hereinafter referred to as "former public officials in extraordinary civil service") as those in general service, whose number is to be increased, corresponding to the number of former public officials in extraordinary civil service to be reduced due to the reorganization of the relevant agency. In such cases, the competent Minister shall appoint them as follows, taking into account the details of their duties, level of difficulties, responsibilities, equivalent ranks, etc.: | 1. | Public officials in a job series specified in Appendix 1 of the Appointment Decree; |
| 2. | Public officials in a job series specified in Appendix 1 of the Regulations on the Appointment of Public Officials Engaged in Research and Technical Advice Service (hereinafter referred to as "Regulations on Research and Technical Advice Service"); |
| 4. | Public officials in fixed term positions under Article 26-5 of the Act. |
| Article 9 (Exclusive positions) |
| (1) | When appointing a former public official in extraordinary civil service as one under subparagraph 1 or 2 of Article 8, the competent Minister shall designate the relevant position as an exclusive position; provided, this shall not apply when appointing a public official in general service in a job series, such as protection, driving, lighthouse management, nursing assistance, hygiene, cooking, or broadcasting stage specified in Appendix 1 of the Appointment Decree (hereinafter referred to as "newly established job series"). |
| (2) | The appointing authority shall not promote, voluntarily demote, reassign, transfer, dispatch (excluding dispatch under Article 41(1)4 of the Appointment Decree) or require concurrent officeholding by, a public official appointed to an exclusive position (hereinafter referred to as "public official in an exclusive position"); provided, the public official may be transferred in any of the following cases: <Amended on Nov. 19, 2014> |
| 1. | Where the transfer is made between public officials in exclusive positions in the same field of duties; |
| 2. | Where a public official in an exclusive position at a director level or higher fails to apply for an exclusive position evaluation under paragraph (3) for 3 years after December 12, 2013, or fails to pass the evaluation at least 3 times, and where a consultation with the Minister of Personnel Management occurs. |
| (3) | A public official in an exclusive position shall undergo evaluation of his or her capabilities, qualifications, etc. required for the relevant position (hereinafter referred to as "exclusive position evaluation"), and upon passing such evaluation (including cases of exemption from exclusive position evaluations under Article 10(2)), the designation of his or her exclusive position shall be revoked at a time determined by the Minister of Personnel Management and Innovation. <Amended on Nov. 19, 2014> |
| Article 10 (Methods of exclusive position evaluations) |
| (1) | The exclusive position evaluations for public officials of Grade V or higher, serving as senior researchers or senior technical advisors, shall evaluate their competency, qualifications, etc. as managers, and the detailed methods of evaluation shall be determined by the Minister of Personnel Management. <Amended on Nov. 19, 2014> |
| (3) | The exclusive position evaluations for public officials in exclusive positions of researcher or technical advisor shall be conducted using any of the following methods: <Amended on Nov. 19, 2014> |
| 1. | A multi-choice written examination for compulsory subjects among subjects for the reassignment examination specified in Appendix 4 of the Regulations on Research and Technical Advice Service; in such cases where the number of compulsory subjects is 3 or more, the competent Minister shall determine the exam subjects in consultation with the Minister of Personnel Management; |
| 2. | Document screening and interviews (applicable only to public officials in exclusive positions who have the required experience as a researcher or technical advisor, as specified in Appendix 2-6 of the Regulations on Research and Technical Advice Service); |
| 3. | Document screening (applicable only to public officials in exclusive positions holding a certificate of qualification for the relevant class specified in Appendix 2-5 of the Regulations on Research and Technical Advice Service). |
| (4) | Articles 4 through 6 shall apply mutatis mutandis to the institutions conducting exclusive position evaluations for public officials of Grade VI or lower in exclusive positions, the evaluation requirements and methods, and the determination of successful candidates. In such cases, "public officials in the management and operation job family" shall be construed as "public officials in exclusive positions" and "reassignment examination" shall be construed as "exclusive position evaluation". |
| (5) | Except as provided in paragraphs (1) through (4), matters relating to the exclusive position evaluations and other relevant affairs shall be determined by the Minister of Personnel Management. <Amended on Nov. 19, 2014> |
[The amended provisions of Article 10 of the Presidential Decree No. 24856 (Nov. 20, 2013) shall remain effective until December 31, 2016 pursuant to Article 2 of the Addenda to that Act]
CHAPTER IV PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT, INCLUDING MINIMUM YEARS REQUIRED FOR PROMOTION
| Article 11 (Minimum number of years required for promotion) |
| (1) | If a public official in technical service in office before December 12, 2013 is appointed as a public official in general service, his or her previous career shall count toward the minimum number of years required for promotion and the period of promotion for continuous service in the management and operation job family and newly established job series according to the following classifications: |
| 1. | Grade VI in general service: Career experience of at least Grade VI in technical service; |
| 2. | Grade VII in general service: Career experience of at least Grade VII in technical service; |
| 3. | Grade VIII in general service: Career experience of at least Grade VIII in technical service; |
| 4. | Grade IX in general service: Career experience of at least Grade IX in technical service and career experience as a Grade X official in technical service before the abolishment of the grade pursuant to the amended provisions of Article 4(1) of the partially amended State Public Officials Act (No. 10699). |
| (2) | The career experience of public officials in technical service and in the management and operation job family reassigned pursuant to Article 3 shall be included in the minimum number of years required for promotion or the period of promotion for continuous service in the classes to which they have been reassigned in accordance with the following classifications: |
| 1. | Minimum number of years required for promotion in Grade VI in general service: Career experience equivalent to 1/2 of the aggregate of career experience of at least Grade VI in technical service and in the management and operation job family; in such cases, up to 1/2 of the minimum number of years required for promotion in the relevant grade shall be recognized; |
| 2. | Period of promotion for continuous service in Grade VII in general service: Career experience of at least Grade 7 in technical service and in the management and operation job family; |
| 3. | Period of promotion for continuous service in Grade VIII in general service: Career experience of Grade VIII or higher in technical service and in the management and operation job family; |
| 4. | Period of promotion for continuous service in Grade IX in general service: Career experience of at least Grade IX in technical service and as a Grade X official in technical service before the abolishment of the grade pursuant to the amended provisions of Article 4(1) of the partially amended State Public Officials Act (No. 10699). |
| (3) | If a former public official in extraordinary civil service is appointed to a newly established job series on December 12, 2013, his or her previous experience in extraordinary civil service shall be included in the minimum number of years required for promotion or the period of promotion for continuous service according to the following classifications; in such cases, their grades equivalent to those of public officials in general service shall be as specified in Appendix 2: |
| 1. | Minimum number of years required for promotion in Grade VI or higher in general service: Career experience equivalent to 1/2 of the combined careers of the former public official in extraordinary civil service of grades equivalent to the appointed grade; in such cases, up to 1/2 of the minimum number of years required for promotion in the relevant grade shall be recognized; |
| 2. | Period of promotion for continuous service in Grade VII in general service: Career experience equivalent to or higher than that of Grade VII in extraordinary civil service; |
| 3. | Period of promotion for continuous service in Grade VIII in general service: Career experience equivalent to or higher than that of Grade VII in extraordinary civil service; |
| 4. | Period of promotion for continuous service in Grade IX in general service: Career experience equivalent to or higher than that of Grade IX in extraordinary civil service. |
| (4) | If the designation of a public official in extraordinary civil service made on December 12, 2013 is revoked pursuant to Article 9(3), his or her service period in the previous extraordinary civil service or exclusive position shall be included in the minimum number of years required for promotion or the period of promotion for continuous service according to the following classifications: |
| 1. | Minimum number of years required for promotion in Grade VI or higher in general service: Career experience equivalent to 1/2 of the combined careers of the former public official in extraordinary civil service of grades equivalent to the appointed grade and in an exclusive position; in such cases, up to 1/2 of the minimum number of years required for promotion in the relevant grade shall be recognized; |
| 2. | Period of promotion for continuous service in Grade VII in general service: Career experience of at least Grade VII in extraordinary civil service and in an exclusive position; |
| 3. | Period of promotion for continuous service in Grade VII in general service: Career experience of at least Grade VIII in extraordinary civil service and in an exclusive position; |
| 4. | Period of promotion for continuous service in Grade VII in general service: Career experience of at least Grade IX in extraordinary civil service and in an exclusive position. |
| Article 12 (Equivalent public officials) |
A public official in technical service who was classified as an equivalent public official under Article 35-4 of the Appointment Decree before December 12, 2013 shall be deemed to have been selected as a public official in general service on December 12, 2013. In such cases, even if a person who was previously classified as an equivalent public official in the management and operation job family has been reassigned to a job series of general service following a reassignment examination, he or she shall be deemed selected as an equivalent official of a higher class within the reassigned categories. <Amended on Jul. 7, 2025>
| Article 13 (Exceptions to restriction on transfer) |
Article 45 of the Appointment Decree may not apply to a person reassigned pursuant to Article 3 or whose designation of his or her exclusive position has been revoked pursuant to Article 9(3). <Amended on Sep. 22, 2020>
| Article 14 (Work performance ratings of public officials in exclusive positions) |
The competent Minister may separately determine matters necessary for the work performance ratings of public officials in exclusive positions in consideration of the characteristics of duties of the relevant agency.
| Article 15 (Provisions applicable mutatis mutandis to public officials in technical service who passed examinations) |
| (1) | If a person deemed to have passed an examination for appointment of public officials in general service pursuant to Article 4 of the Addenda to the amended State Public Officials Act is appointed as such after December 12, 2013, Articles 3 through 6, 8 through 11, and 14 shall apply mutatis mutandis to the job series, class, position, etc. to be appointed. |
| (2) | A person who has passed a career-based competitive recruitment examination for public officials in general service among public officials in administrative job series pursuant to Article 2 of the Addenda to the partially amended Decree on the Appointment of Public Officials (Presidential Decree No. 21717) shall be deemed to pass the reassignment examination under Article 4. |
| Article 15-2 (Management of prescribed number of personnel following vacancies among public officials in management and operation job family) |
If a vacancy occurs due to retirement (including training for cultivating social adaptability of public officials whose period remaining until the retirement age is not more than 1 year), dismissal from office, transfer, etc. of a public official in the management and operation job family, the competent Minister may convert the prescribed number of personnel in that group into that in other public officials in general service, in consultation with the Minister of the Interior and Safety. In such cases, if the current number of public officials in the management and operation job family exceeds the quota, the relevant institution shall be deemed to have a separate quota for the management and operation job family corresponding to such surplus until the current number aligns with the quota.
[This Article Added on Apr. 16, 2019]
CHAPTER V APPOINTMENT OF FORMER PUBLIC OFFICIALS IN EXTRAORDINARY CIVIL SERVICE AS FOREIGN SERVICE OFFICIALS
| Article 16 (Appointment of public officials in extraordinary civil service as foreign service officials) |
Public officials in extraordinary civil service who are in service in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and its affiliated agencies as at the time the amended Foreign Service Officials Act enters into force (hereinafter referred to as "previous public officials in extraordinary civil service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs") shall be deemed to be appointed as foreign service officers (referring to foreign service officers in a similar position, in cases of previous public officials in extraordinary civil service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs who belong to the Senior Executive Service) in a functional category similar to the relevant job field among the functional categories classified under Article 2 of the Foreign Service Officials Act, and the number of foreign service officers is increased corresponding to the prescribed number of previous public officials in extraordinary civil service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which is reduced under the Decree on the Organization of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Its Affiliated Agencies (Presidential Decree No. 25217). [This Article Added on Feb. 27, 2014]
| Article 17 (Exclusive positions of foreign service officials) |
| (1) | When appointing a former public official in extraordinary civil service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as a foreign service official, the Minister of Foreign Affairs shall designate the position as an exclusive position. |
| (2) | A foreign service public official appointed to an exclusive position under paragraph (1) (hereinafter referred to as a "foreign service official in an exclusive position") shall not be promoted, reassigned, transferred, dispatched (excluding dispatch under Article 41(1)4 of the Appointment Decree) or concurrently appointed; provided, in cases falling under any of the following subparagraphs, a transfer may be made in consultation with the Minister of Personnel Management: <Amended on Nov. 19, 2014> |
| 1. | Where the Minister of Foreign Affairs deems it unavoidable for personnel management due to a transfer to a position in the same field of duties; |
| 2. | Where the foreign service official in an exclusive position at a direct level or higher fails to apply for the exclusive position evaluation for 3 years after the enforcement of the amended Foreign Service Officials Act or fails to pass the evaluation 3 or more times. |
| (3) | Articles 9(3) and 10 shall apply mutatis mutandis to the exclusive position evaluations of foreign service officials in exclusive positions, the revocation of designation of exclusive positions, etc. In such cases, "public officials of Grade V or higher in exclusive positions" shall be construed as "foreign service officials of Grade V or higher in exclusive positions"; "public officials of Grade VI or lower in exclusive positions" as "foreign service officials of Grade IV or lower in exclusive positions"; and "competency assessment under Article 10-3 of the Appointment Decree or Article 9 of the Regulations on the Personnel Management of the Senior Executive Service" as "assessment under Article 2-2(2) of the Foreign Service Officials Act or diplomatic competency assessment of foreign service officials in positions equal to the class of counsellor under Article 18(2)2 of the Decree on the Appointment of Foreign Service Officials". |
[This Article Added on Feb. 27, 2014]
[Matters relating to Article 10 among the amended provisions of Article 17(3) shall remain effective until December 31, 2016, pursuant to Article 2 of the Addenda of the Presidential Decree No. 25216 (Feb. 27, 2014)]
| Article 18 (Minimum number of years required for status elevation) |
If designation of an exclusive position for a former public official in extraordinary civil service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who is deemed to have been appointed as a foreign service official of Grade V or lower on the enforcement date of the amended Foreign Service Officials Act, is revoked under Article 9(3), which is applied mutatis mutandis pursuant to Article 17(3), his or her career in the former position in extraordinary civil service or exclusive position civil shall be counted up to 1/2 of the minimum number of years required for status elevation in the relevant job grade according to the following classifications: | 1. | Grade V foreign service official: A career equivalent to 1/2 of the combined career of a public official of Grade V or higher in extraordinary civil service and a foreign service public official of Grade V or higher in an exclusive position; |
| 2. | Grade IV foreign service official: A career equivalent to 1/2 of the combined career of a public official of Grade VI or higher in extraordinary civil service and a foreign service official of Grade IV or higher in an exclusive position; |
| 3. | Grade III foreign service official: A career equivalent to 1/2 of the combined career of a public official of Grade VII or higher in extraordinary civil service and a foreign service official of Grade V or higher in an exclusive position. |
[This Article Added on Feb. 27, 2014]
| Article 19 (Service record ratings) |
| (1) | The results of service records ratings conducted before the enforcement of the amended Foreign Service Officials Act on former public officials in extraordinary civil service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs shall be deemed valid even after their appointment as foreign service officials and may be reflected in status elevation, payment of performance bonuses, etc. |
| (2) | Article 14 shall apply mutatis mutandis to service records ratings for foreign service officials in exclusive positions. |
[This Article Added on Feb. 27, 2014]
ADDENDA <Presidential Decree No. 24856, Nov. 20, 2013>
Article 1 (Enforcement date)
This Decree shall enter into force on December 12, 2013.
Article 2 (Valid period of reassignment examination and evaluation of exclusive position)
The provisions of Articles 4 through 6 and 10 shall remain effective until December 31, 2016.
ADDENDA <Presidential Decree No. 25216, Feb. 27, 2014>
Article 1 (Enforcement date)
This Decree shall enter into force on the date of its promulgation.
Article 2 (Valid period of exclusive position evaluation of foreign service officials in exclusive positions)
Matters relating to Article 10 in the amended provisions of Article 17(3) shall remain effective until December 31, 2016.
ADDENDA <Presidential Decree No. 25751, Nov. 19, 2014>
Article 1 (Enforcement date)
This Decree shall enter into force on the date of its promulgation; provided, the amended Presidential Decree, which was promulgated before this Decree enters into force, but for which the effective date has not yet arrived, among the Presidential Decree amended pursuant to Article 5 of the Addenda, shall enter into force from the enforcement date of the relevant Presidential Decree, respectively.
ADDENDUM <Presidential Decree No. 29694, Apr. 16, 2019>
This Decree shall enter into force on the date of its promulgation.
ADDENDA <Presidential Decree No. 31044, Sep. 22, 2020>
Article 1 (Enforcement date)
This Decree shall enter into force on the date of its promulgation; provided, ... <omitted> ... Article 7 of the Addenda shall enter into force on January 1, 2021.
ADDENDA <Presidential Decree No. 35638, Jul. 7, 2025>
Article 1 (Enforcement date)
This Decree shall enter into force on July 8, 2025.