A former fixed-term public official at Paju City Hall has won an appeal against the mayor after claiming that a promise for a promotion was not kept, overturning the initial ruling from the first trial.

According to the Uijeongbu District Court's Civil Division 5-2 (Presiding Judge Hwang Young-hee) on Friday (June 26), the plaintiff, identified as A, a former fixed-term official, won the appeal in a lawsuit for "damages due to tort" filed against Paju Mayor Kim Kyung-il and the city of Paju.

The court recently ruled to "cancel the first-instance judgment," ordering the defendants (Mayor Kim Kyung-il and Paju City) to "jointly pay A 31 million won, along with interest calculated at an annual rate of 5% from January 3, 2023, until the date the complaint was served, and 12% per annum thereafter until the payment is fully made."

The court stated, "The Paju mayor promised to hire A as a Grade 7 official by implying that he would ensure A passed the open competitive examination. Relying on this, A was guided by Paju City staff not to seek an extension of their contract as a Grade 9 fixed-term official."

The court further explained, "The mayor's promise to hire A as a Grade 7 official constitutes gross negligence, as it was a situation where the illegal outcome could have been easily foreseen with minimal caution, yet it was overlooked."

The court concluded, "It is reasonable to assume that if not for the mayor's promise of a Grade 7 position, A would have chosen to extend their contract and continued working as a Grade 9 fixed-term official until early January 2023, when their two-year term was set to expire."

The court added, "The Paju mayor is liable for damages resulting from the tort committed against A, who relied on the promise to pass the Grade 7 examination and consequently did not seek a contract extension. Paju City is also liable for damages under Article 2 of the State Compensation Act regarding the mayor's illegal acts in the performance of duties related to appointments."

It is reported that Paju Mayor Kim Kyung-il has appealed the decision to the Supreme Court.

Previously, A filed the civil lawsuit in March of last year after failing the Paju City Grade 7 fixed-term official recruitment exam in January 2023, and lost the first trial in February of last year.

In August 2022, while in their 12th year of service at Paju City after signing a third five-year fixed-term contract, A was told by a staff member in the mayor's office that "the mayor has reached out to promote you to Grade 7 as a reward for your performance." Following this, A submitted their resignation to prepare for the Grade 7 recruitment exam.

(Photo: Yonhap News)