Pohang City Implements Strong Reform Measures to 'Completely Block' Corrupt Public Officials

Personnel Renewal and System Improvement Combined: 'Public Service Ethics Strengthening Reform Plan' Prepared

High-Intensity Personnel Renewal, Full Replacement of Department and Section Chiefs, Large-Scale Overhaul

Continuous Monitoring of

Pohang City has recently launched a comprehensive reform of public service discipline following suspicions of embezzlement of public funds by an employee managing city-owned property.

To fundamentally block the possibility of illegal misconduct by public officials that undermines citizens' trust, the city is implementing stringent personnel measures and institutional improvements such as revamping the accounting system, vigorously promoting a strong special plan for public service reform.

In this regard, Pohang City announced on the 26th that it will immediately enforce the "Zero Tolerance One-Strike-Out Policy" against misconduct starting from that day.

Pohang City stated that it will take the highest possible level of personnel actions regardless of the severity of illegal acts committed by its public officials and will also pursue judicial measures such as requesting investigations.

First, for a high-intensity personnel reform, the city plans ▲a large-scale transfer of key executives such as department heads and section chiefs ▲reassignment of long-term employees in specific departments ▲and hiring external experts as heads of audit departments to restore organizational atmosphere.

Additionally, for employees exposed to potential conflicts of interest in areas such as construction project orders, contracts, and permits, the city will implement a rotation system as a principle, completely exclude direct relatives from working within the same unit, and introduce a work avoidance system through transfers if the employee is in a special relationship with external related companies.

Furthermore, those disciplined for reasons such as bribery, entertainment, or embezzlement will be excluded from promotion candidates, and department heads will also face personnel disadvantages by holding the chain of command accountable.

Measures to fundamentally block accounting fraud through strengthened monitoring and thorough inspection of the financial accounting system will also be established.

The city will ▲conduct a full survey of separate accounts for all departments ▲improve the revenue processing system (principle of bill payment) ▲strengthen regular special audits of accounting tasks ▲and comprehensively revise rules on the approval process for accounting-related affairs.

Alongside this, a dedicated reporting center will be operated intensively to receive reports of misconduct, and if any illegal or improper facts are confirmed after verification, strict actions will be taken in accordance with relevant laws and regulations.

Moreover, administrative efforts will be focused on strengthening self-purification within the public service.

The city plans to ▲provide anti-corruption and integrity education for high-ranking officials ▲operate an anonymous reporting system and voluntary internal control system ▲hold integrity communication meetings ▲enhance integrity education for all employees, and actively develop policies to improve internal and external integrity by preparing department-specific integrity reform measures.

Mayor Lee Kang-deok said, “I sincerely apologize for causing disappointment due to an incident that damages the trust of Pohang citizens,” adding, “Regardless of rank or status, we will apply a zero-tolerance principle without leniency toward misconduct by public officials and do our utmost to establish public service discipline.”

Pohang City has suspended the employee related to the city-owned property suspected of misconduct and reported the case to investigative authorities on the 15th; the investigation is currently underway. The city plans to strictly hold the responsible parties accountable based on the investigation results once completed.

Pohang City Hall.

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