The National Fire Agency abruptly replaced its Director for Audit and Inspection at headquarters. It also removed from duty those in the inspection line at the National Fire Agency, the Gwangju Fire Headquarters, and the Gwangsan Fire Station in Gwangju, along with related personnel. It appears to be seeking to continue a personnel shake-up in the wake of the death of a woman firefighter in her 20s with the Gwangju Metropolitan Fire Headquarters who died ahead of her wedding.
The National Fire Agency on the 26th held an emergency meeting of fire commanders nationwide, chaired by the acting administrator, to discuss response directions and organizational reform measures related to unfair workplace culture, including recent workplace bullying.
In addition to these personnel actions, the National Fire Agency said it will immediately remove from duty any commander who condones or abets power abuse going forward and will consider and implement measures such as promotion restrictions.
It will also conduct a fact-finding survey on the overall fire service organizational culture and push for regular surveys annually or semiannually going forward. The plan is to use the results as an index to evaluate the level of organizational culture improvement at each city and provincial fire headquarters.
The National Fire Agency also decided to operate a "focused reporting period for workplace power abuse and irregularities." To ensure anonymity and independence, it plans to use an external professional reporting platform.
It also decided to improve inspection functions. With support from 18 city and provincial inspectors, the National Fire Agency will lead a nationwide special inspection. It will assign six firefighters with attorney qualifications to the Director for Audit and Inspection's office to strengthen expertise and legal judgment capabilities in processes such as audits, inspections, and investigations.
The National Fire Agency will run a "organizational culture innovation TF" for three months, led by the acting Administrator as Director General, to push these measures forward. It will operate sectoral subcommittees — ▲organizational innovation ▲inspection reinforcement ▲personnel innovation — and seek advice from private-sector experts.
Choi Yong-cheol, acting administrator of the National Fire Agency, said, "The bereaved families' sorrow and the public outcry are a cold assessment and stern rebuke from the people toward our fire service," adding, "We must coolheadedly face this grave crisis and regain the public's trust through soul-searching that cuts to the bone."
He added, "We will take responsible reform starting with the National Fire Agency and will keep checking and driving improvements until organizational culture reforms that can be felt in the field are achieved."