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Types of Civil Servants

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Types of Civil Servants

Civil servants in career service (Article 2-2 of the State Public Officials Act)

Categories Details
Civil servants in general service
  • Civil Servants in charge of technology, research, or general administrative affairs
  • ① Administrative and technical positions ② Postal positions ③ Research and leadership positions
  • Civil servants engaged in special duties among general civil servants
  • ① Professional career officer
Civil servants in special service
  • ① Judges & public prosecutors, ② foreign service officials, ③ police officers, ④ fire officers, ⑤ public educational officials, ⑥ members of the armed forces & military service officials, ⑦ research officers of the Constitutional Court, ⑧ Civil servants in charge of affairs in special fields, as designated by other Acts as Civil servants in special service, such as employees of the National Intelligence Service and public security officers

※ Public official in a fixed term position (Article 26-5 of the State Public Officials Act): A public official in career service to take charge of duties that require specialized knowledge, technical skills, or duties that require special expertise for appointment management to serve fixed terms of office (① General tenure system ② Professional tenure system ③ Time-selective tenure system ④Limited tenure system).

Civil servants in non-career service (Article 2-3 of the State Public Officials Act)

Categories Details
Civil servants in political service
  • Civil servants who are appointed by election, or whose appointment requires approval of the National Assembly or Civil servants in charge of affairs regarding sophisticated policy decision-making or of assisting with such affairs, who are designated by law as in political service
  • ① Chairman of the Board of Audit and Inspection, Audit Committee Member and Secretary General ② National Assembly Secretary General, Deputy Director, Library Director, Budget Policy Director, Legislative Investigation Office Director ③ Constitutional Court Judge, Secretary General and Deputy Secretary General ④ Standing Member, Secretary General and Deputy Secretary General of the National Election Commission ⑤ Prime Minister ⑥ Member of the State Council ⑦ Head of the Presidential Secretariat ⑧ Chief of the National Security Office ⑨ Head of the Presidential Security Office ⑩ Director of the Office of State Affairs Coordination ⑪ Deputy Chief ⑫ Deputy Minister, Commissioner (Director of the National Police Agency) Chief of the Secretariat, Chief of the Supreme Court Equipment Office, Chief of the National Assembly Equipment Office) ⑪ Director and Deputy Director of the National Intelligence Service ⑫ Chairman of the Korea Communications Commission ⑬ Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission of Korea
Civil servants in extraordinary civil service
  • Civil servants who are designated by Acts and subordinate statutes as in extraordinary civil service to perform such assistive duties as senior secretary and secretary, or to perform any specified duties
  • ① Senior Secretary/Secretary ② Policy Adviser to a Minister ③ Senior Expert Member of the National Assembly ④ Head of Planning and Coordination Office of the National Intelligence Service ⑤ Other civil servants designated as civil servants in extraordinary civil service by laws and regulations