Korean Agriculture Ministry Proposes Staffing Extensions, Invites Public Comment

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (MAFRA) has announced a legislative notice for a partial amendment to its Enforcement Rule, which governs the organization of the ministry and its affiliated agencies. The proposed changes, aimed at enhancing operational efficiency and ensuring continuity in key roles, are now open for public consultation. Interested parties are invited to submit their opinions on the amendment by May 15, 2026.

Key Proposed Amendments

Under the amendment, MAFRA plans to extend the operational period for several crucial positions. Three Grade 5 positions, which operate under a flexible, budget-based staffing system, will have their operational deadline extended by two years, from May 31, 2026, to May 31, 2028. Additionally, eight other positions, comprising seven Grade 5 and one Grade 7, will see their operational tenure extended for two years, moving their deadline from August 3, 2026, to August 3, 2028.

Similar extensions are also proposed for the National Agricultural Products Quality Management Service (NAQS), an agency affiliated with MAFRA. The operational period for one specific team—the Gyeonggi Branch, Seoul Metropolitan Area Agricultural and Food Investigation Team—and 15 associated positions (five Grade 5, six Grade 7, and four Grade 8) will be extended for two years, from May 31, 2026, to May 31, 2028. Furthermore, one security guard position is slated for an upgrade in rank, from ‘Security Clerk Assistant’ to ‘Security Clerk’, and will operate for three years, from June 1, 2026, to May 31, 2029.

To optimize workforce management and address vacancies in specific roles, the amendment also includes a provision to convert a single job series at NAQS to multiple job series. This means that Driver Clerk (운전서기보) positions, where vacancies have occurred, can now be filled by Administrative Clerks (행정서기보) or Agricultural Clerks (농업서기보), allowing for more flexible and efficient deployment of personnel across various functions.

How to Submit Opinions

Institutions, organizations, or individuals interested in providing feedback on these proposed amendments must submit their opinions by Thursday, May 15, 2026. Submissions can be made online through the National Participatory Legislation Center website or by submitting a written opinion to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.

• Online Submission: Visit http://opinion.lawmaking.go.kr
• Written Submission (Mail/Email/Fax): Please include your agreement or disagreement with the proposal (with reasons if disagreeing), your name (or organization name and representative, if applicable), address, and phone number.

Written feedback can be sent to:

• Mail: Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, Innovation Administration Division, Government Sejong Complex Building 5, Dasom2-ro 94, Eojin-dong, Sejong Special Self-Governing City (Zip Code 30110)
• Email: junyoung.ahn@korea.kr
• Fax: 044-868-0705

For further inquiries regarding the amendment, please contact MAFRA’s Innovation Administration Division directly at 044-201-1343. The full text of the proposed amendment is available on the MAFRA website (http://www.mafra.go.kr) under the ‘Public Communication > Legal Information > Legislative Notice’ section.

Source: 법제처 — Original Article (Korean)