[Asia Economy (Suwon) = Reporter Lee Young-gyu] The integrity level of public institutions under Gyeonggi Province slightly increased compared to the previous year.
Gyeonggi Province announced on the 24th that the '2022 Gyeonggi Province Public Institution Integrity Evaluation,' conducted on 28 public-related organizations under the province, recorded a comprehensive integrity score of 8.77 points (out of 10). This is an increase of 0.01 points from 8.76 points in 2021.
Since 2015, the province has been conducting integrity evaluations for its affiliated public institutions for the first time nationwide, aiming to objectively and fairly assess the level of integrity of each institution and identify and improve corruption-prone areas.
In 2022, institutions were categorized by size and characteristics: institutions with 65 or more employees (Group Ⅰ) and those with fewer than 65 employees (Group Ⅱ) underwent comprehensive integrity evaluations, while institutions with fewer than 10 employees or established within the past year (Group Ⅳ) underwent anti-corruption capacity diagnostics. However, institutions subject to the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission evaluation (Group Ⅲ) were excluded from the province's integrity evaluation.
The comprehensive integrity evaluation was divided into three areas: 'External Integrity,' evaluated by residents who experienced administrative services; 'Internal Integrity,' evaluated by internal employees; and 'Anti-Corruption Policy Evaluation,' assessing each institution's efforts to prevent corruption. Institutions were then graded from the highest grade 1 to the lowest grade 5.
The evaluation results showed that external integrity scored 9.44 points, up 0.10 points from the previous year. In contrast, internal integrity scored 7.50 points, down 0.14 points from the previous year. The anti-corruption policy evaluation scored 9.18 points, up 0.06 points from the previous year.
The province analyzed that while external integrity and anti-corruption policy evaluations improved due to continuous anti-corruption efforts by public institutions, internal integrity, which reflects internal employees' evaluations, declined.
The comprehensive integrity score of 8.77 points reflects the scores from the three evaluation areas, adjusted for two penalty factors: the occurrence of corruption incidents and acts undermining trust.
Looking at the results by institution, the Next-Generation Convergence Technology Research Institute received a grade 1 for the first time since 2018. Grade 2 was awarded to Group Ⅰ institutions including Gyeonggi Economic Science Promotion Agency, Gyeonggi Tourism Organization, Gyeonggi Research Institute, and Gyeonggi Technopark, as well as Group Ⅱ institutions including Gyeonggi Women's Family Foundation and Gyeonggi Suwon World Cup Stadium Management Foundation. The remaining institutions ranked between grades 3 and 4. Gyeonggi Market and Commercial Promotion Agency and Gyeonggi Daejin Technopark received grade 5.
Additionally, five Group Ⅳ institutions (Gyeonggi Volunteer Center, Gyeonggi Transportation Training Institute, DMZ International Documentary Film Festival, Korea Gyeonggi Corporation, and Gyeonggi Environment and Energy Promotion Agency), which underwent anti-corruption capacity diagnostics to check the minimum anti-corruption system, recorded a score of 9.46 points, an increase of 2.39 points from the previous year.
The results of this comprehensive integrity evaluation will be reflected in the social responsibility (integrity) section of the 2023 public institution management evaluation.
Choi Eun-soon, the province's auditor, emphasized, "The public institution integrity evaluation aims to accurately identify the level of integrity and corruption-prone areas of each institution to effectively implement anti-corruption policies. We will provide incentives and customized consulting based on each institution's integrity level to meet the growing expectations of residents regarding public officials' integrity."
Meanwhile, 4,839 residents and 1,577 institution employees participated in the external and internal integrity evaluation surveys. Both internal and external surveys have a confidence level of 95% and a sampling error of ±0.03%p.
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