Seoul Metro Selected as Best Anti-Corruption Organization for Two Consecutive Years

Seoul Audit Committee Hosts Anti-Corruption Case Contest, 'Comprehensive Survey on Private Contract Operations' Receives Excellence Award... 680 Million Won Budget Saved… Construction Company States "We Will Continue Efforts for Integrity"

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Seoul Metro Corporation has been selected as the top anti-corruption institution for two consecutive years in the ‘Anti-Corruption and Integrity Practice Excellence Contest.’

The contest, hosted by the Seoul Metropolitan Government Audit Committee, evaluates anti-corruption and integrity practice initiatives from Seoul city investment and funded institutions, affiliated departments, and autonomous districts.

Among a total of 38 submitted cases, one was selected as the best (the corporation), two as excellent, and three as commendable.

The corporation’s policy case selected as the best in this contest was the ‘Comprehensive Survey on the Operation Status of Private Contracts.’

Through a special audit of all private contract projects over the past three years, the corporation thoroughly examined the improper practices and standards of private contracts and identified areas for improvement and institutional reforms, which received high praise.

The private contract system has the advantage of allowing quick contracts with specialized and experienced companies without competitive bidding, ensuring a certain level of quality in the results. However, there has also been a persistent possibility of habitual contracts with specific companies.

Taking this special audit as an opportunity, the corporation improved the habitual and repeated private contract practices with specific companies and established review criteria for the Contract Review Committee. They developed a checklist to verify exclusion reasons for private contract awards and strengthened the criteria for price verification. Through this, they preemptively blocked controversies over preferential treatment of specific companies in the private contract process, creating an opportunity to enhance transparency and fairness throughout the contracting process.

While improving these practices and systems, they also achieved budget savings. By changing the contract method for employee uniforms from general private contracts to electronic open private competitive bidding, the corporation saved approximately 680 million KRW in budget.

Choi Hyung-chan, head of the Audit Office, said, “Despite difficult conditions such as financial challenges, the efforts of all employees to create an honest corporation seem to have been highly evaluated,” and added, “We will continue to make every effort to build a trusted public service society, discover integrity projects in cooperation with citizens, and make Seoul Metro even more beloved.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.