Abuse of Power Inside Public Medical Institutions and Embezzlement of Research Funds at National and Public Universities Remain 'Unchanged'

The Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission Announces Comprehensive Integrity Evaluation Results

Abuse of power within public medical institutions and embezzlement and misappropriation of research funds at national and public universities remain prevalent, according to a recent investigation.

Jung Seung-yoon, Vice Chairman and Secretary General of the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission. [Image source=Yonhap News]

On the afternoon of the 18th, Jeong Seung-yoon, Vice Chairman and Secretary General of the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission, stated at a briefing at the Government Seoul Office, “The comprehensive integrity evaluation results showed that 42.3% of internal members at public medical institutions experienced abuse of power, while the experience rate of research fund embezzlement and misappropriation at national and public universities was 2.49%.” The evaluation covered 22 public medical institutions, including national university hospitals and local medical centers, and 16 national and public universities nationwide.

This comprehensive integrity evaluation was based on a survey of about 10,000 participants, including approximately 4,300 patients and contractors with experience working with public medical institutions and national and public universities (perceived integrity), about 6,400 internal members of these institutions, the anti-corruption efforts undertaken by the institutions over one year (effort for integrity), and the occurrence of corruption incidents within the institutions, to comprehensively assess the level of integrity.

The comprehensive integrity score was 74.8 points for public medical institutions and 77.6 points for national and public universities. These scores are lower than the 80.5 points for administrative agencies and public service-related organizations announced by the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission on the 28th of last month. By institution, only one institution, Pukyong National University, received a first-grade comprehensive integrity rating, while two institutions, Cheongju Medical Center and Seongnam City Medical Center, were rated fifth grade.

Abuse of power within public medical institutions remains serious, but efforts to improve the situation are insufficient. Among internal perception items, members of public medical institutions rated the item “abuse of power such as unfair demands, instructions, and refusals (57.0 points)” low, and the actual experience rate of abuse of power among internal members was very high at 42.3%. The main cause cited was “lack of willingness to improve by superiors (response rate 29.1%).”

However, only 13 out of 22 institutions (59.1%) conducted abuse prevention education for middle managers and above. The effectiveness score of anti-corruption policies promoted by public medical institutions was 59.6 points, lower than the 66.1 points for administrative agencies and public service-related organizations. The score for the “efforts to improve abuse of power” item was only 57.0 points.

The perceived integrity score for national and public universities was 76.2 points, also lower than the 80.0 points for administrative agencies and public service-related organizations. By area, the perceived integrity score for contract-related work, evaluated by contracting parties with experience, was high at 94.5 points, whereas the perceived integrity score for research and administrative areas, evaluated by internal members, was only 71.0 points.

While the rate of experience with demands, acceptance, or promises of money or valuables by contracting parties was 0.06%, the rate of such experiences during internal organizational operations was 2.16%, showing a significant difference. Additionally, the experience rate of embezzlement and misappropriation was 2.49%, higher than the rate of money or valuables-related experiences. Among 33 corruption cases deducted due to corrupt public officials, “misuse and embezzlement of research funds” accounted for the largest portion with 24 cases (72.7%).

Vice Chairman Jeong said, “Corruption and abuse of power in public medical institutions, which should protect the health of the people, threaten the lives and safety of the public, and the fraudulent use of research funds also hinders sound academic research and university management. We must accelerate comprehensive efforts to establish fairness and common sense in areas closely connected to the daily lives of the people.”