1,4208 People Surveyed by Assemblyman Wi Seong-gon’s Office
[Herald Economy = Reporter Han Ji-sook] It has been found that the deeply rooted tradition of “Ganju Mosineun Nal” in public office is still prevalent.
“Ganju Mosineun Nal” is a culture where lower-ranked employees take turns or assign days to treat their superiors, such as department heads or directors, to meals. It could be interpreted as an inappropriate act under the Anti-Graft Act and has been highlighted as an issue.
According to the survey results of the “Ganju Mosineun Nal” status assessment, conducted online by Assemblyman Wi Seong-gon of the National Assembly’s Public Administration and Security Committee from September 17 to October 6 involving 1,4208 public servants nationwide, 15.4% (2187 respondents) said they “experienced Ganju Mosineun Nal this year.”
In particular, the experience rate among public servants in local governments was 18.6%, which is higher than that of central ministries (276 respondents). Compared to last year’s survey by Assemblyman Wi’s office, where 44% (5514 respondents) of 1,2526 local public officials said they had experienced Ganju Mosineun Nal in the past year, the figure is lower but still significant.
Regarding the frequency of Ganju Mosineun Nal, “1-2 times a month” was the most common at 37.8%, followed by “1-2 times a week” at 34%, and “1-2 times a quarter” at 22.8%.
Responses indicated that 29.9% felt both cost and attendance were mandatory, and 40% felt either cost or attendance was mandatory. This means 70% of all respondents participated involuntarily. Only 25.5% said they participated voluntarily.
The main reasons cited for the persistence of Ganju Mosineun Nal were “authoritarian organizational culture and hierarchy-centric practices” at 28.3%, followed by “because it is linked to personnel evaluations” at 21.6%.
Among those who experienced Ganju Mosineun Nal, 32.8% (717 respondents) were lower-level public servants with less than five years of experience, raising concerns that the coercive atmosphere could dampen the morale of the younger generation and lead to turnover. However, some respondents noted changes, saying, “It disappeared after February” or “It was only implemented early in the year then ended.”
Assemblyman Wi Seong-gon emphasized, “Merely voicing the will to eliminate it is ineffective without a reporting and protection system. The government should aim for substantial cultural improvement beyond just statistical improvements.”