In order to promote professionalism in handling complex and diverse civil complaints, Gyeonggi Province became the first local autonomy in Korea to establish detailed guidelines for the operation of civil complaint mediators.

On November 17, Gyeonggi Province announced the enactment of the “Gyeonggi Civil Complaint Mediator Operating Guidelines” in accordance with the “Civil Complaint Handling Act” and associated enforcement decree as well as the “Gyeonggi Civil Complaint Handling Rules.”

The Gyeonggi Civil Complaint Mediator System, introduced in 2018, aims to improve the satisfaction of Gyeonggi residents by minimizing secondary complaints caused by the transfer of complaints between departments (“ping-pong” complaints), unnecessary extension of processing time (delays), and lack of guidance on processing status.

Four complaint mediators are assigned to the Open Complaint Center to provide one-stop complaint service, including receiving all complaints and distributing them to the appropriate departments, as well as undertaking responses and follow up. As of the end of October, the four complaint mediators had received, distributed, and forwarded a one-year total of 184,889 complaints.

The enactment of the guidelines for the operation of the complaint mediation center followed complained regarding difficulties in systematically resolving so-called “ping-pong” complaints due to the lack of related guidelines.

The operating guidelines contain information on processing standards, scope, and procedures for the work of civil complaint coordinators, including working methods for each civil complaint and distribution and adjustment standards. They also include guidelines for supplementing and rejecting civil complaints, transferring civil complaints and coordinating the processing departments, facilitating the processing of civil complaints, managing avoided complaints, and follow-up management of processed civil complaints.

Gyeonggi Province plans to collect opinions through a legislative preview until December 7, and then submit the guidelines to the Regulations and Rules Review Committee for implementation starting next year.

“By establishing guidelines for the operation of civil complaint mediators, we expect to realize faster and more efficient complaint processing that will benefit Gyeonggi residents… In addition, we will improve the satisfaction of Gyeonggi residents by providing better civil administration services, such as internalizing the operation of the Civil Mediation Working Council and promoting the designation of a professional position for civil mediators from next year,” said Jeong Koo-won, Director General of the Self-Governance Bureau of Gyeonggi Province.