Seocho-gu, Anonymous KakaoTalk Reports of Staff Corruption and Executive Power Abuse

[Seoul District News] Seocho-gu Operates 'Seocho Integrity Talk' in April Using KakaoTalk 1:1 Open Chat for Reporting Internal Staff Corruption; Immediate Investigation After Fact-Checking via 1:1 Chat with Audit Officer... Seodaemun-gu Expands 'Digital Owl Monitoring Team' to About 190 Participants This Year with 2022 Launch Ceremony Held Recently... Dongdaemun-gu Social Economy Support Center Recruiting Social Economy Supporters

[Asia Economy Reporter Jong-il Park] Seocho-gu will operate a mobile messenger channel called ‘Seocho Cheongnyeom Talk’ from April for employees to report corruption and power abuse.

‘Seocho Cheongnyeom Talk’ is an anonymous reporting channel using KakaoTalk’s open chat room, an SNS platform online chat service, to report cases such as ▲bribery, entertainment, or preferential treatment related to personnel ▲power abuse by superiors ▲illegal or improper budget execution.

The feature of ‘Seocho Cheongnyeom Talk’ is its convenient reporting procedure and strict confidentiality. This channel allows employees to comfortably report using KakaoTalk, which they use daily, and ensures security by utilizing KakaoTalk’s 1:1 anonymous chat function and regularly changing and announcing participation codes for chat room access on the internal bulletin board.

Employees who wish to report can enter ‘Seocho Cheongnyeom Talk’ in the KakaoTalk main screen search bar, enter the open chat room, then go to the 1:1 chat participation tab to upload text, photos, videos, etc. to report.

Afterwards, the Audit Officer confirms additional facts about the report through real-time 1:1 chat with the reporter and then proceeds with investigation and handling.

The district expects this project to help activate reporting and create a clean public service society along with the ‘Seocho-gu Corruption and Impropriety Reporting Center’ on the Seocho-gu Office website, where outsiders can report public service corruption.

Meanwhile, the district has prepared the ‘Seocho-gu Comprehensive Integrity Improvement Promotion Plan’ earlier this month, which includes 19 core projects in four areas such as improving internal integrity through anti-corruption and customized policies like ‘Seocho Cheongnyeom Talk,’ establishing anti-corruption systems, continuous focused management and supplementation of corruption-prone areas, and spreading anti-corruption and integrity culture through communication and empathy, striving to become ‘Seocho, the No.1 Trusted Integrity District for Residents.’

Major policy projects this year include operating the ‘Visiting Integrity Triangle,’ which listens directly to voices from the field to preemptively eliminate corruption factors by focusing on construction management and supervision, and operating the ‘Integrity Performance Management System,’ which implements and evaluates integrity policies tailored to each department’s characteristics.

Cheon Jeong-wook, Acting Mayor of Seocho-gu, said, “We expect Seocho to become more integrity-driven by operating ‘Seocho Cheongnyeom Talk’ and activating reporting to preemptively block corruption and impropriety within the organization,” adding, “We will continue to discover and implement various integrity policies to establish an integrity culture.”

Seodaemun-gu (Mayor Moon Seok-jin) announced on the 28th that the ‘Digital Owl Monitoring Team,’ which started last year with 30 members, has expanded significantly to about 190 participants this year and recently held the 2022 inauguration ceremony to begin full-scale activities.

The monitoring team was launched in October last year by Seodaemun-gu together with local youth facility officials, parents, and university students with the goal of ‘creating a safe online environment for youth and eradicating digital sex crimes.’ This year, applicants from all over the country have gathered, increasing the scale more than sixfold.

The name ‘Owl’ symbolizes watching and reporting sex crime materials and harmful content for youth spreading indiscriminately online with wide-open eyes like an owl.

By the end of last year, the monitoring team monitored 179 posts related to sex crimes exposed on various SNS and internet sites online and reported them to related organizations such as the Korea Internet Self-Governance Organization (KISO) and the Korea Communications Standards Commission.

They also created and promoted online card news titled ‘Understanding Digital Sex Crime Basics’ and produced and distributed 500 copies of the ‘Harmful Content Reporting Guide.’

This year, the team plans to be more active by dividing into subgroups for ▲monitoring and reporting sex-related harmful content ▲online and offline campaigns to raise awareness of digital sex crimes ▲proposing related laws and ordinance amendments.

At the recent online inauguration ceremony held at the ‘Nuun’ studio inside the Seodaemun Youth Center, members shared pledges such as ‘Complete OUT of Digital Sex Crimes,’ ‘Safe Digital Culture for Everyone! The Owl is Coming,’ and ‘We will work harder than bad people.’

Moon Seok-jin, Mayor of Seodaemun-gu, said, “I will actively support the activities of the Owl Monitoring Team so that youth can grow up in a safe world free from sex crimes.”

Dongdaemun-gu (Mayor Yoo Deok-yeol) Social Economy Support Center (hereinafter ‘Dongsagyeong Center,’ Director Choi Geun-young) is recruiting ‘Social Economy Supporters’ who will plan, discover, and produce social economy-related content together with residents interested in social economy.

If selected as a ‘Social Economy Supporter,’ participants will have the opportunity to participate in various projects and educational programs, including contributing to the social economy white paper produced by the Dongsagyeong Center, through meetings held at least once a month.

They will also engage in activities such as field reporting related to social economy, event promotion support, and content and image production under the guidance of capable mentors. Upon completion of supporter activities, participants will receive a certificate of activity, and outstanding participants will be awarded commendations.

Residents wishing to apply for the Social Economy Supporters should fill out the required documents on the Dongsagyeong Center website by the 31st and submit them online. Individual interviews will be conducted for those who pass the document screening, and the final selected candidates will be announced on April 15.

Yoo Deok-yeol, Mayor of Dongdaemun-gu, said, “I hope that through supporter activities, residents’ interest and understanding of social economy and affection for the region will grow,” adding, “I encourage many residents interested in social economy to apply and have a meaningful time participating as key players in creating social value.”