'Your dad is doing very important work for the country': energy minister writes to staff families as overtime mounts amid crisis

Industry Minister Kim Jung-kwan sent letters and gifts to the families of his staff, who face mounting workloads as conflict in the Middle East continues to disrupt energy supply chains, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources said Wednesday.

One of the letters, written for the children of some staff members, reads: “Hi. I’m the minister working with your dad. Your dad is incredibly smart and is doing very important work for our country right now.”

Kim tailored the letters and gifts to each family. For young children, he included a message saying, “Mom (or dad) can work hard for the country thanks to your support,” along with the ministry's mascot doll.

For employees’ spouses, he sent a bouquet of flowers along with a letter that read, “I will remember that the dedication of (employee’s name) is made possible by your support.”

Health supplements were also sent to the parents of unmarried staff members, with a note expressing appreciation for the role they played in shaping their children’s dedication.

The event was aimed at showing appreciation for about 30 staff members, including those at the Resource Security Bureau and the Supply Chain Bureau handling instability in crude oil and naphtha supply, officials at the Office of Trade Negotiations dealing with trade relations with the United States, and working-level staff overseeing efforts to introduce AI into industries and support regional economies, officials said.

Some reportedly logged more than 100 hours of overtime over the past month amid emergency conditions, including US moves to block the Strait of Hormuz, often working through the night and resorting to showering at gyms, skipping meals or, in some cases, collapsing from exhaustion.

The minister also introduced compensation measures, scrapping the 57-hour monthly cap on overtime pay for now so employees can receive full pay for their extra hours.

"As challenges tied to global supply chains and energy security have mounted since the Middle East crisis, many officials have continued to work with a strong sense of mission despite the heavy burden. Minister Kim sees the need to also care for their families during such emergencies," the ministry said.