Integrity Effort Score 5.1 Points Higher Than National City Average
Paju City in Gyeonggi Province announced on December 23 that it was selected as a Grade 2 institution for the second consecutive year in the "2025 Comprehensive Integrity Assessment of Public Institutions" released by the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission.
The Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission conducts an annual comprehensive integrity assessment of public institutions to enhance integrity awareness and promote a culture of integrity, assigning five grades based on the results. This year, among the 74 cities evaluated at the city level, four cities received Grade 1, and 22 cities, including Paju, received Grade 2.
The comprehensive integrity assessment score that determines each institution's grade is calculated by combining the results of the "integrity perception" survey conducted among civil service users and internal staff, the "integrity effort" evaluation that measures anti-corruption initiatives, and the corruption status assessment. For Paju City, the "integrity perception" category maintained a Grade 2 rating for the second year in a row, and the "integrity effort" category improved by one grade from last year to achieve Grade 2.
Notably, Paju City scored 89.2 points in the "integrity effort" category, which is 5.1 points higher than the national city-level average of 84.1 points. The city also achieved perfect scores in five areas, including establishing and implementing anti-corruption plans, building a foundation for anti-corruption initiatives, and intensive improvements in corruption-prone sectors. These achievements reflect the city's exceptional efforts to lay a solid foundation for "Integrity Paju."
Additionally, in the "integrity perception" category, Paju scored 76.9 points, surpassing the national city-level average of 75.0 points by 1.9 points. This demonstrates the city's ongoing efforts to enhance transparency and trust in its administration.
Paju City has continuously implemented various integrity initiatives to eradicate corruption among public officials and spread a culture of integrity. In particular, this year, the city held an integrity concert in conjunction with a popera performance, encouraging active participation and communication among Millennials & Gen Z public servants and increasing satisfaction with educational programs aimed at raising integrity awareness, thereby contributing to the spread of an integrity culture within the organization.
The city has also promoted a range of integrity initiatives, such as the "Integrity On Air" broadcast for practicing integrity in daily life and the "Integrity Communication Meeting" to foster a relatable public service culture. At the same time, it has strengthened preventive audits and introduced advanced audit activities, including the "Integrity Petition System," which allows employees who have suffered from unfair orders or abuse of power to petition the auditor under the name of the labor union.
Commenting on the results of this comprehensive integrity assessment, Paju Mayor Kim Kyungil stated, "These results confirm that all public officials in Paju City have worked tirelessly with one heart and mind to fulfill their duties for the happiness of our citizens, and that we have made significant progress each year." He added, "To further solidify Paju's status as a city of integrity, I and all public officials in Paju will continue to serve our citizens with a strong sense of duty and do our utmost to provide citizen-centered administration."
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