Ulsan City's public relations team is undergoing a restructuring.
Following leadership changes in August, which included team leaders and subsequent personnel adjustments, the organization responsible for media and public relations has seen significant changes. The appointment of a new open public relations spokesperson on September 1 further alters the team's composition.
The public relations officer position, currently open for applications, is expected to be filled by the end of September, marking the near completion of the restructuring since the launch of the ninth civil election term in Ulsan.
Last month, Ulsan City conducted personnel changes within the public relations office, including team leaders and subsequent staff adjustments.
The appointment of a new public relations advisor has also taken place, and the new open public relations spokesperson began their duties on September 1.
The public relations officer position is currently open for applications, with the application period already closed. Interviews are scheduled from September 9 to 11, with the appointment expected to be finalized this month.
The rapid turnover of key positions and staff within the public relations team has drawn attention to whether these changes will lead to substantial improvements in public relations administration in Ulsan.
One of the pressing issues for the new public relations team is the criteria for government advertising execution.
Previously, it was reported that Ulsan City allocated approximately 17.3 billion won for government advertising from 2024 to May 2026, raising concerns about disparities in distribution among central and local media outlets and the lack of clear, objective standards for advertising costs.
In response, Ulsan City has collected data from various media outlets regarding their type, publication and operational status, online influence, and performance in local news and special reports.
However, this collected data has not yet been reported to Ulsan Mayor Kim Sang-wook, and it remains unclear how it will be integrated into the actual evaluation and execution criteria for government advertising.
Currently, the execution of promotional funds for each media outlet has effectively been halted.
A Ulsan City official recently stated, "Once the public relations officer is appointed, follow-up procedures regarding the collected data are expected to proceed."
As a result, whether the new public relations officer will establish specific criteria for government advertising execution and utilize the collected media data for evaluations will be key tasks for the new public relations team.
The method of communication with the media is also a point of interest.
Providing press releases, supporting coverage, explaining municipal issues, and responding to media inquiries and critical reports are fundamental roles of the public relations organization.
With the significant changes in personnel since the start of the ninth civil election term, it remains to be seen whether existing work methods and systems will also evolve.
In particular, the extent to which objective standards and procedures can be established in the processes of government advertising and media response, rather than relying on individual judgments or practices, will likely be a crucial factor in future evaluations.
A representative from a civic group in Ulsan remarked, "Given the significant changes in the public relations organization's personnel, it is essential to monitor whether the transparency of government advertising execution and the fairness of media responses actually improve. Creating objective standards and procedures that can be disclosed to the public is important."
Once the public relations officer is appointed in September, the new personnel structure of Ulsan City's public relations team will largely be established.
The focus will then shift to how the new organization will address existing issues in public relations administration, including government advertising standards, media communication, and information provision methods.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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