Installation of a Mirror, Camera, and Tree Symbolizing 'Integrity' at the Government Office Building
[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Wook] "Mirror, mirror, am I honest?" There is an unusual mirror in the Uiryeong-gun government office in Gyeongnam. It is not for reflecting one's appearance but was installed for public officials to reaffirm their commitment to integrity. This mirror is exerting its influence(?).
Gyeongnam Uiryeong-gun's integrity rating has risen by two grades at once over the past year, attracting attention from other local governments.
Uiryeong-gun received a grade 3 in the '2022 Public Institution Integrity Evaluation' recently announced by the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission. This is a two-grade improvement from grade 5 in 2021.
O Tae-wan, the mayor of Uiryeong County, is looking at his reflection in the integrity mirror on his way to work and hanging the photo on the integrity tree.
The decisive factor in Uiryeong-gun's two-grade rise in integrity was its 'effort toward integrity.' The effort toward integrity accounts for 40% of the comprehensive integrity evaluation. Uiryeong-gun's integrity effort score was grade 2 (84.9 points), significantly higher than the national average of 72.9 points among 82 counties.
In 2022, Uiryeong-gun focused on recovering its mid-level integrity rating. Moving away from repetitive and formal integrity policies, it aimed to raise the integrity temperature in Uiryeong-gun through cheerful and easy-to-understand policies unique to Uiryeong.
Last year, Uiryeong-gun attracted attention by promoting integrity with lively ideas such as role plays, quiz shows, and parodies. Public officials parodied the popular drama "Extraordinary Attorney Woo," using words like 'gibon-gi' (basic skills), 'ingiin' (popular person), and 'saenggosaeng' (hardship) ? words that read the same forwards and backwards ? to define and share integrity in their own way. The phrase "Integrity is a public official's basic skill" became a representative slogan.
Also, a 'mirror of integrity' appeared to symbolize looking into one's own integrity portrait, and a 'tree of integrity' and an 'integrity photo booth' were installed inside the government office to publicly demonstrate the commitment to integrity.
Additionally, as measures to enter the top ranks of integrity, Uiryeong-gun promoted integrity consulting with the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission and formed an 'Integrity Countermeasure Council' involving all department heads to strengthen internal audit functions. A public official corruption hotline was directly connected to the county governor and implemented. The Planning and Budget Office's audit department toured all towns and townships to conduct on-site inspections and special training for improving integrity through the 'Visiting Clean Center,' which also received favorable evaluations.
County Governor Oh Tae-wan said, "I want to emphasize the significance of rising two grades through everyone's efforts," adding, "There is still a task to stir an honest breeze throughout Uiryeong-gun." He expressed his determination to analyze the integrity measurement results and find countermeasures for the lacking areas.
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