Administrative Officer Kim Seon-Tae, ‘Chungju Man’, saying farewell, Chungju City YouTube channel

Posts continue to appear saying that Administrative Officer Kim Seon-Tae, ‘Chungju Man’, was a ‘thorn in the side’ within the civil service.

On the anonymous community Blind on the 13th, a civil servant wrote in a post titled ‘Chungju Man was a ‘cancerous’ presence in the civil service’ that “Others have to serve 20 years to be promoted to a Grade-6 team leader, but he was handed the position, and, saying it was for YouTube promotion activities, he did not even do rotational duty, so how much do you think insiders disliked him”.

He added, “He himself admitted there were many people who disliked him, and now that he has left, the civil service will become harmonious and peaceful,” and “By its nature, the civil service is a place that never tolerates anyone who outshines others or stands out.”

According to Chungju City on the 13th, Administrative Officer Kim submitted his resignation to the personnel department on the 12th and went on extended leave. His resignation takes effect at the end of this month.

That day, on the YouTube channel of Chungju City, he said, “It has been 10 years since I entered public service and 7 years living as ‘Chungju Man’, and now I would like to bid farewell,” and “The 7 years I spent with you were the happiest time of my life.”

While running the promotional YouTube channel of Chungju City, he achieved landmark results in public-sector publicity, such as raising its subscribers to 970,000. He also gained nationwide recognition and appeared on various entertainment programs.

He repeatedly earned unusually rapid promotions for a civil servant, rising to the Grade-6 team leader rank. Under former Mayor Cho, he simultaneously acquired the labels of ‘unconventional promotion’ and ‘star civil servant’, establishing himself as a leading promotional figure for Chungju City.

Cited as the background for the sudden decision by Administrative Officer Kim to resign is the situation in which former Chungju Mayor Cho Gil-Hyung, unable to run again after three terms, resigned early to run for governor of North Chungcheong Province.

The common view inside and outside the civil service is that, as former Mayor Cho decided to step down early, the position of Administrative Officer Kim also began to wobble subtly. This is because, whenever local government heads change, the practice of ‘line realignment’ has been repeated, with key aides and publicity lines of the previous mayor being pushed out of the organization.

On this, anonymous communities carried posts such as ‘Chungju Man is someone who was rapidly promoted through the Cho Gil-Hyung line, so if the mayor changes he cannot help but become a thorn in the side’ and ‘Mayor Cho served as a shield, so once he is gone it is hard to hold out’.

The prevailing view is that Administrative Officer Kim also sensed this and decided to resign.

It is not yet known what Administrative Officer Kim will do next. However, as it has become known that several entertainment agencies tried to make contact, prospects are being raised for activity as an independent YouTuber or broadcaster.