Seoul Gangseo-gu Takes Steps to Establish Public Officials' Discipline During Year-End and New Year Period

[Seoul District News] Gangseo-gu Applies Zero Tolerance Policy to Serious Misconducts Including Drunk Driving & Strengthens Duty Inspections for False Overtime, Business Trips, and Worksite Absences

[Asia Economy Reporter Jongil Park] Gangseo-gu, Seoul (Mayor Kim Tae-woo) has begun full-scale efforts to establish public officials' discipline ahead of the year-end and New Year holidays.

The district announced that it will undertake activities to establish public officials' discipline to prevent various misconducts by public officials ahead of the year-end and New Year holidays, the first since the lifting of social distancing measures.

This is part of Mayor Kim's campaign pledge in the 8th local election term, "significantly strengthening audit functions," aimed at creating a trustworthy and clean Gangseo through fostering an honest public service culture.

First, all employees will be warned about the dangers of drunk driving, and the strongest measures will be taken if caught.

According to the strengthened local government officials' disciplinary regulations, severe disciplinary action can be requested for drunk driving with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.2% or higher or refusal to undergo alcohol testing. The district emphasized that the zero-tolerance "one-strike-out system" for serious misconduct among public officials will be applied equally to drunk driving.

Along with this, activities to strengthen service discipline checks will be carried out to establish service discipline, which tends to become lax during the year-end and New Year holidays.

By strengthening service discipline checks on issues continuously raised in the media such as ▲unfair receipt of overtime pay ▲false business trips ▲unauthorized absence from the workplace, the district plans to raise employees' awareness and establish service discipline.

Mayor Kim Tae-woo emphasized, "As this is the first year-end after the lifting of social distancing, public officials must set the best example since drunk driving and various accidents can occur," adding, "We will do our best to implement citizen-centered administration and gain the trust of 570,000 Gangseo residents by fostering an honest public service culture."

Since his inauguration in July, Mayor Kim has been operating various systems for a clean and fair organizational culture, including abolishing unnecessary practices, activating internal whistleblowing systems, and implementing special promotion systems.