On January 10, 2023, 2022 Proud Hanyangian Award was held at the Alumni Association building at Hanyang University (HYU). The Hanyang Journal had an interview with one of the award winners, Kim Seung-ho, an alumnus of HYU and currently the Minister of Personnel Management.
Q. Please introduce yourself.
A. Hello, everyone. My name is Kim Seung-ho, the Minister of Personnel Management. I graduated HYU in 1986 and majored in Public Administration. I have started my civil service career at the Ministry of Government Administration, a ministry responsible for the central government’s personnel and organization management at the time. Afterwards I have worked in the Civil Service Commission, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, and the Ministry of Personnel Management (MPM) where I spent most of my professional career. Recently, I served as the chairperson of the Appeals Commission and the Secretary General of Korean Sport & Olympic Committee. In May 2022, I was appointed as the Minister of Personnel Management.
Q. Please tell us about the process and how you feel about winning 2022 Proud Hanyangian Award.
A. I understand that Proud Hanyangian Award is given to alumni who have raised the status of their alma mater by becoming a model for many people. I think HYU must have highly valued my 30 years of civil service, and in this respect, I am honored and grateful to be the recipient of the award. I have always tried to live up to our school’s motto of “Practice of Love” throughout my career, which I believe has helped me achieve success in various positions.
Q. Are there any goals that you wish to achieve in the future?
A. “Innovation in the civil service culture” is what I have been pursuing since last May to change civil servants’ work behavior and make a competent government. To this end, the government is bringing innovation not only to the personnel system but also to human resources. The MPM newly established key attributes of an ideal civil servant, reflecting the current social trends. Based on such attributes, the MPM also plans to improve the overall personnel management system from education, performance management to compensation. I am also committed to encourage civil servants to develop interpersonal skills, which is one of the key competencies; both to improve individual communication capability and foster a productive work environment. In this regard, my colleagues of the MPM have been studying on voluntary base how to strengthen interpersonal skills, and the result is scheduled to be published soon.
Q. Do you have any advice for HYU students who pursue to become a public official like you?
A. Being a public official is a rewarding job. Public officials can contribute to the better lives of people and the development of the country, but this also means we always have to juggle pros and cons and deal with unexpected consequences. If you enter public office just to have a stable job, the reality can be different from expectations. A public official must put people first and be devoted to the public good. With this mindset, I am sure that public office will be more rewarding than any other workplace.
