Gwangju Seo-gu Achieves Grade 2 in Overall Integrity... 2-Step Increase Compared to Previous Year

The comprehensive integrity rating of Seo-gu, Gwangju Metropolitan City (District Mayor Kim Ikang) has jumped to grade 2.

Seo-gu announced on the 28th that it rose two grades from last year (grade 4) in the '2023 Public Institution Integrity Evaluation' conducted by the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission, based on the combined results of integrity perception and integrity effort.

Among Gwangju City and its five autonomous districts, Seo-gu is the only one to have risen two grades.

Seogu District Office building. [Photo by Seogu]

In particular, Seo-gu received high scores for the district mayor's interest and efforts in integrity, and there were no deductions for corruption issues such as bribery, entertainment, convenience, or provision of private benefits.

Seo-gu established active communication channels such as the district mayor’s direct text phone ‘Baro Munja Harangkke’ and the field-centered ‘My Side District Mayor’s Office’ to secure administrative trust and fundamentally block power abuse in areas prone to civil complaints, such as permits and taxation.

They also increased integrity perception by operating a self-learning system for employees to check their own integrity awareness and daily practices, conducting activities of the Integrity Guardians group, holding creative innovation camps for intergenerational harmony, and providing communication enhancement training as an essential competency for public officials.

Additionally, to eradicate corrupt practices, they issued integrity alerts and corruption evacuation orders, sent integrity letters, held integrity campaigns, selected MVP public officials, and conducted integrity evaluations of senior officials.

Kim Ikang, Mayor of Seo-gu, said, “Integrity is the foundation and the first step of administration. By pursuing various changes and innovations and creating a vibrant working culture in public service, and by practicing field-centered communication administration, we achieved the valuable result of a ‘grade 2 integrity rating.’”

Shin Dongho, Honam Reporting Headquarters, Asia Economy baekok@asiae.co.kr