Civil Group Criticizes "Arrogant Attitude"
Tongyeong City Removes Lockers Amid Growing Controversy
Controversy has arisen after it was revealed that Tongyeong City in South Gyeongsang Province had required citizens and public officials visiting the mayor's office at Tongyeong City Hall to leave their cell phones with the mayor's secretariat.
Cell phone storage locker at the Tongyeong Mayor's Secretariat. Tongyeong Citizens' Participation Solidarity
According to the Tongyeong Citizens' Participation Solidarity on January 15, the organization held a press conference at the South Gyeongsang Provincial Office the previous day, urging Tongyeong City to reflect on itself after receiving the lowest grade, Level 5, in last December's "Perceived Integrity" assessment by the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission. During the press conference, they criticized the practice of requiring visitors to leave their cell phones with the secretariat before entering the mayor's office.
The cell phone locker was installed in the corridor leading to the mayor's office and is reported to have been used for nearly two years as a place where public officials and citizens would leave their phones before entering the office.
The Tongyeong Citizens' Participation Solidarity argued, "The practice of making citizens and public officials leave their cell phones with the secretariat before meeting the mayor is an anachronistic and high-handed abuse of power reminiscent of the era of dictatorship." They further criticized it as a violation of constitutionally guaranteed freedom of communication and basic rights, and condemned the city's attitude as an arrogant notion that regards citizens not as partners in communication but as subjects of surveillance and control.
The organization also stated, "If the administration is transparent and confident, there is no reason to fear being recorded," adding, "The closed leadership that takes away cell phones out of distrust even toward fellow public officials has resulted in the low integrity rating by the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission."
In fact, in the "2025 Comprehensive Integrity Assessment of Public Institutions" announced by the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission last month, Tongyeong City remained at Level 4 overall, the lowest among the 18 cities and counties in South Gyeongsang Province. In particular, in the "Perceived Integrity" category, which is directly evaluated by civil petitioners and internal staff, the city received the lowest grade, Level 5.
Tongyeong City explained that the measure of collecting cell phones was intended "to prevent work and meetings from being disrupted by ringtones," and claimed that citizens and external guests were allowed to bring their cell phones into the mayor's office. As the controversy grew, the city removed both the cell phone locker and the notice from the mayor's secretariat.
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