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Gyeonggi Province has put off personnel changes for the second half of the year, sparking protests from the provincial government's employees' union and some city and county governments that the move is an example of "communication-less governance." The provincial government had been expected to announce a new round of personnel changes in late June or early July, but it has delayed the move. The Gyeonggi Provincial Officials' Union, an organization with some 1,600 members, expressed regret over the decision, saying it was made without prior communication with the union. The union said in a statement that it had proposed to the provincial government that it push ahead with the personnel changes in July as planned, but the government had ignored the proposal. The union said it will take unspecified "collective action" if the government continues to ignore its opinions. Some city and county governments in Gyeonggi have also expressed frustration with the provincial government's decision. The government of Pyeongtaek, a city in southwestern Gyeonggi, expressed regret that it was not informed about the provincial government's decision to delay the personnel changes. The city government said it had already started making plans for the personnel changes based on an earlier announcement by the provincial government that they would take place in July. The city government said it will have to re-do its plans and that it is unclear how the changes will affect the work of city officials. Other city and county governments have also expressed similar concerns. On June 29, Gyeonggi Governor Nam Kyung-pil ordered his deputy governor and other high-ranking officials to refrain from making any new personnel changes. The governor's office said the personnel changes were being delayed to ensure "organizational stability" and to "minimize confusion" in the provincial government. The governor's office said it will announce the personnel changes at a later date, but did not say when. The provincial government's decision to delay the personnel changes comes at a time when some local governments in Gyeonggi are already facing difficulties due to a shortage of personnel. Some local governments have been unable to fill vacant positions due to a freeze on hiring by the provincial government. The provincial government imposed the hiring freeze in 2015 in an effort to reduce its workforce and streamline its operations. The freeze has been extended several times and is currently set to expire at the end of June. It is unclear how long the provincial government's delay in making personnel changes will last. The delay is expected to cause difficulties for some local governments that are already facing personnel shortages. The Gyeonggi Provincial Officials' Union has urged the provincial government to come up with a plan to deal with the personnel shortages. The union has proposed that the provincial government allow local governments to fill vacant positions on their own. The provincial government has not yet responded to the union's proposal.

·hani.co.kr

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