"High Heels of Female Applicants Cause Noise Disturbance"... Criticized as "Beyond Common Sense"

[Anchor]

During the government audit by the National Assembly's Public Administration and Security Committee, remarks made by Choi Dong-seok, Minister of Personnel Management, regarding the dress code for civil service interview candidates sparked controversy. Even ruling party lawmakers criticized as defying common sense Choi's claim that shoe covers should be placed over footwear because the sound of shoes, such as high heels, disrupts the exam.

Reporter Son Hyeong-an reports.

[Reporter]

Choi Dong-seok, Minister of Personnel Management, previously came under fire for past remarks made before taking office.

On September 10, the Ministry of Personnel Management under his leadership announced that candidates should refrain from wearing suits during civil service interviews, prohibiting neckties and formal dress shoes, and posted a notice attached with reference photos of attire.

[Yoon Kun-young / Democratic Party Lawmaker: "Putting shoe covers on applicants just because they wore a suit or dress shoes to take the interview—isn't there a problem with this kind of thinking? It is turning into a complete farce."]

[Choi Dong-seok / Minister of Personnel Management: "If female applicants come there wearing full makeup, dressed in suits, and wearing pointed heels, it's not like the place is carpeted, nor are there noise prevention measures, is there?"]

At Minister Choi's answer, sighs erupted from lawmakers throughout the room, and

["Then are women not supposed to wear dress shoes?"]

[Yoon Kun-young / Democratic Party Lawmaker: "The notion that high heels cause inconvenience to others truly defies common sense."]

[Choi Dong-seok / Minister of Personnel Management: "I'm telling you, it's an examination venue. An examination venue."]

[Yoon Kun-young / Democratic Party Lawmaker: "Can they not wear high heels to an examination venue?"]

[Choi Dong-seok / Minister of Personnel Management: "I'm saying they can wear them."]

[Jeong Chun-saeng / Rebuilding Korea Party Lawmaker: "What does female applicants arriving in full makeup have to do with evaluating the competence of public officials? I think this was a remark reflecting an extremely inappropriate perception for a minister."]

Minister Choi answered along the lines that this dress code notice was not introduced for the first time this year, but faced criticism that this was not true, and later corrected his remark, stating he had "answered incorrectly."

Minister Choi also belatedly apologized for his remark regarding "female applicants wearing full makeup," calling it "inappropriate."

Video by Lee Seung-hwan and Shin Dong-hwan | Video Editing by Oh Young-taek
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.