Changwon Special City Achieves 'Grade 1 Comprehensive Integrity Evaluation' for the First Time in 4 Years

High Evaluation for Efforts to Establish the Conflict of Interest Prevention Act

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Song Jong-gu] Changwon Special City in Gyeongnam achieved a Grade 1 in the comprehensive integrity evaluation for the first time in four years since 2018.

Changwon City announced on the 26th that it achieved a Grade 1 in the '2022 Public Institution Comprehensive Integrity Evaluation' conducted by the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission.

In the comprehensive integrity evaluation first implemented in 2022, the city ranked Grade 2 in integrity perception and Grade 1 in integrity efforts among 75 city-level units nationwide, achieving an overall Grade 1.

Changwon Special City Hall, Gyeongnam.
Photo by Se-ryeong Lee

In particular, the city received a score of 92.6 in integrity efforts, which is 15 points higher than the national city average of 77.6. This was due to Changwon City's unique integrity policies.

The city focused on strengthening integrity education to spread internal and external integrity. During the COVID-19 situation, it introduced and operated a non-face-to-face integrity self-learning system, and actively conducted employee training to establish the newly implemented Conflict of Interest Prevention Act.

In response to public officials' drunk driving issues, the city raised awareness through virtual drunk driving experiences, and to cultivate the integrity mindset of the MZ generation, it also delivered integrity cards commemorating 100 days since appointment.

In this comprehensive integrity evaluation, the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission applied revised evaluation criteria for the first time in 20 years. Until now, the commission operated a dual evaluation system measuring internal and external integrity and evaluating anti-corruption policies aimed at improving integrity over one year. However, from the 2022 evaluation, it was reorganized into a comprehensive integrity evaluation system that integrates these aspects. With the expanded evaluation scope, efforts to improve institutional integrity can be assessed more objectively.

Hong Nam-pyo, Mayor of Changwon Special City, said, “Integrity is becoming an important indicator and essential element representing urban competitiveness. Research shows that the higher the integrity, the higher the happiness index of members.” He added, “To operate city administration trusted by citizens and realize Changwon as a Northeast Asia central city, a clean organization must be the foundation, so we will continue to do our best to improve integrity.”