Times have changed.
Gapjil — the abuse of power by those in higher positions — is no longer tolerated in the workplace. The need to root it out and foster a culture of mutual respect is especially pressing in the civil service, where hierarchical and authoritarian norms run deep.
Among Seoul's district mayors, Kim Kyung-ho of Gwangjin-gu has emerged as a leading force in building a gapjil-free civil service, and Kim Kyung-dae of Yongsan-gu has now joined the effort, drawing wide attention.
Kim Kyung-ho of Gwangjin-gu has taken a firm stance against gapjil since the start of the eighth elected term — earning the trust of his staff and, some say, securing his re-election as a result.
Since taking office in the eighth elected term, Kim has enforced a strict principle of reward and accountability to strengthen civil service discipline.
One division chief-level official in Gwangjin-gu was demoted to Grade 6 by the Seoul Metropolitan Government's personnel committee after conflicts with staff and inappropriate conduct. Another division chief was similarly demoted to Grade 6 over problems in handling official duties. Personnel measures also reassigned officials who had stepped down from managerial posts — some to field greening work in the parks and green spaces division, others to sanitation duties in the cleaning division.
The moves reflected Kim's principle that misconduct by a public official will be held accountable regardless of rank.
Kim, who calls himself the "head servant of Gwangjin-gu" to reflect his unpretentious character, takes a firm line when it comes to inappropriate conduct by civil servants or wrongdoing by senior officials.
Some say this very consistency has stabilized the organization and transformed Gwangjin-gu into a district that gets things done.
At senior staff meetings, Kim has repeatedly told employees, "If something goes wrong while you're doing your job, I'll take responsibility." His message: honest mistakes made out of ignorance can be corrected through guidance, but deliberately failing to act or behaving improperly will not be tolerated.
Through these efforts, Kim has earned the trust of his staff and is now steering the district with stability as a re-elected mayor in the ninth elected term.
Yongsan-gu District Mayor Kim Kyung-dae launches morning commute anti-gapjil campaign.
Yongsan-gu District Mayor Kim Kyung-dae held an anti-gapjil campaign Thursday morning in the second-floor lobby of the Yongsan District Integrated Administrative Town during the commute hour, calling for a healthier workplace culture built on mutual respect.
The campaign was organized to prevent gapjil — including unreasonable work orders, verbal abuse and personal insults — and to signal to all staff that the district's leadership would set the example in establishing a culture of respect and consideration.
Kim was joined by the deputy district mayor, department directors, representatives of the Yongsan-gu Civil Servants' Labor Union and other employees, all pledging to build a workplace free of gapjil.
The event began at 8:35 a.m. with the signing of a joint declaration to eradicate gapjil. Kim and senior officials signed first, followed by employees arriving for work who joined voluntarily, adding their names in a show of collective commitment.
Participants held banners and placards bearing slogans such as "Gapjil, clock out! Respect, clock in!" and greeted arriving staff. "Integrity vitamins" — small tokens symbolizing anti-gapjil awareness and ethical practice — were also distributed.
A staff participation memo board, where employees can freely write and post their thoughts, will be set up during the morning commute hours on Thursday and Friday.
The board will collect candid input from staff on four themes: the organizational culture they hope to see, what they want from the district mayor, words of respect they wish to share with colleagues, and personal pledges for a gapjil-free workplace. The district plans to use the feedback to improve its organizational culture going forward.
In conjunction with the campaign, Yongsan-gu is running a month-long "intensive gapjil reporting period" from Thursday through Sept. 11. Reportable conduct includes unreasonable work orders, verbal harassment, workplace bullying and demands for personal errands.
Reports can be filed through the Yongsan-gu Gapjil Damage Reporting Center, and the anonymity of all reporters will be strictly protected.
"From the very start of my term, I have stressed that an organization that is tough on the weak and weak on the powerful can never be a healthy one," Kim said. "We will continue to push a range of integrity initiatives to build a gapjil-free civil service culture." He added that the district would "do its utmost to foster a workplace of mutual respect so that residents can enjoy higher-quality administrative services."
As the MZ generation increasingly takes its place at the heart of the civil service, some say moving away from an outdated culture of top-down command and compliance — and building a public service grounded in communication, respect and fair principles — is the starting point for stronger administrative competitiveness.
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