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Big changes to working conditions for disaster and safety officials

Published: 17 Sep. 2025, 15:21 Updated: 17 Sep. 2025, 19:41

Kim Gwang-yong, head of the disaster and safety management headquarters at the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, presides over a meeting at the Central Disaster and Safety Situation Room of the Sejong Government Complex on Sept. 11 to review measures for accident prevention against illegal facilities occupying rivers and valleys. [YONHAP]

The government will significantly improve working conditions for public officials in disaster and safety fields, as well as introduce institutional reforms to strengthen on-site response capabilities.

The Ministry of the Interior and Safety and the Ministry of Personnel Management announced their "plan to strengthen disaster and safety organizations and workforce" on Wednesday. According to the measures, disaster and safety officials' allowances will double, rising from 80,000 to 200,000 won ($58 to $145) per month to 160,000 to 440,000 won.

Emergency duty allowances will increase from 8,000 won to 16,000 won per day, with the monthly cap raised from 120,000 won to 180,000 won.

Officials with over two years of service will receive a longevity bonus of 50,000 won, while those in heavy-duty positions will be paid an additional 50,000 won. Frontline disaster officers at local governments will also receive 80,000 won in specific task expenses.

Personnel benefits will be strengthened for disaster and safety officials. Local government employees who serve more than two years in disaster-related departments will have their promotion eligibility shortened by a mandatory two years, while central government employees will be eligible for a discretionary one-year reduction.

The number of government awards will increase from 99 to more than 150, and recipients will be given opportunities for special promotion. Public officials who respond proactively in emergencies will also be exempt from disciplinary action under the "active administration exemption" rule.

To ensure all local governments can operate around-the-clock disaster response systems, 57 of the 228 basic-level local governments that currently lack dedicated staff will see new personnel assigned. Additional staff will be placed at township and neighborhood welfare centers, and the proportion of disaster-safety positions within local governments will be gradually expanded.

Local governments will be able to choose among three organizational models depending on their circumstances: integration with local administration and personnel departments, integration with construction and road departments or independent disaster safety departments.

"Protecting the lives and property of the people is the state’s most important duty," said Minister of the Interior and Safety Yun Ho-jung. "We will improve systems so that disaster and safety officials can work with pride, while ensuring a stable workforce and stronger disaster response capabilities," according to the ministry.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY JEONG JAE-HONG [[email protected]]