Provincial univ. grads to get preferential hiring at gov`t entities

Around 147 state-run organizations will give preferential hiring for those graduating from provincial universities under the relocation of such organizations to the provinces, according to a high-ranking official at the presidential office Sunday.

The official told The Dong-A Ilbo over the phone, “The Strategy and Finance Ministry will include the proportion of hires who graduated from provincial universities in the management assessment criteria of public organizations,” adding, “The relocation will be completed after 2013 but graduates from provincial universities will be given priority in hiring from the latter half of this year.”

To prevent criticism of reverse discrimination, however, the presidential office did not set the minimum number of employees a state-run organization should hire from provincial universities.

Another official said, “The percentage of hires from provincial universities at public organizations this year and the following year will depend on the judgment of each organization`s management.”

In the same context, President Lee Myung-bak commented about preferential treatment for graduates from provincial universities when he visited Seoul Polytech School on May 19, the presidential office said.

On the delay of the relocation of state-run organizations due to the real estate slump, the government said, “New construction will begin for 80 government buildings by year’s end.”

As of late May, construction had begun for just 17 state-owned organizations.

The government also said 40 percent of the construction will be conducted by provincial builders. The 40-percent rule had been solely applied to the construction of 10 innovative cities and the four-river restoration project.

srkim@donga.com