(Daily Daegu Gyeongbuk News = Reporter Hwang Ji-hyeon) Gyeongsangbuk-do held the 8th Integrity Provincial Citizen Auditors at the Andong Grand Hotel on April 25 with about 150 people in attendance, including the administrative governor, Park Seon-ha, Vice Chairman of the Administrative Health and Welfare Committee, integrity provincial public auditors, and city and county officials. A ‘capacity building workshop’ was held.
This workshop was prepared to strengthen the expertise and capabilities of the 8th Integrity Public Auditors and to share the direction of anti-corruption and integrity policies with the launch of the 8th Integrity Public Auditors.
In order to prevent corruption and increase integrity, the Integrity Inspector General’s role is to monitor illegal and unfair matters in everyday life, suggest improvements to the administrative system, report inconveniences to residents, and participate in public policy audits.
The event began with the opening ceremony in the first part, and presented the operational status and plans, including the role of the Provincial Integrity Auditor, activity tips and improvement cases, the 8th key operation direction, and the provincial anti-corruption and integrity policy.
Next, Provincial Auditor Kim Myeong-ja (from Mungyeong) came forward as a case presenter and shared major improvement cases in the Mungyeong area, such as △ improvement of the dangerous road section (Mungyeong-eup ~ Seongbulam) section △ adjustment of on-call working hours in Mungyeong towns and villages △ improvements related to local festival programs.
The second afternoon event included an integrity healing performance by Professor Jin-seok Lee of Yeungnam Cyber University, and a special lecture on the topic of ‘The Role and Integrity of the Integrity Public Auditor’ by Yonsei University Research Professor Ji-moon Lee, an integrity specialist lecturer at the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission.
Professor Lee gave a lecture focusing on the contents and cases of anti-corruption laws and regulations that public integrity auditors need to know, such as the Anti-Corruption Act and the Public Finance Recovery Act.
Starting with the 8th Integrity Public Auditor Workshop, we will begin activities such as holding on-site meetings in connection with city and county comprehensive audits (7) and also promoting observation of major business sites such as construction works.
Provincial auditors with professional qualifications plan to utilize their expertise to the fullest by being assigned to specific audits, such as investment-funded institutions under the province. In addition, we are exploring various ways to participate in provincial government, such as the Integrity Task Force.
In particular, it serves as a ‘channel for communication with the living public’ that conveys unreasonable system improvements and inconveniences in daily life, including passive administration by administrative agencies, without filtering, and reports on misconduct by public officials in the four major public affairs areas such as construction, civil complaints, and subsidies, etc. The role of front-line monitors will also be strengthened.
The Integrity Citizens’ Auditor System started as an honorary auditor system in 1996 and changed to its current name in 2014. In February of this year, 184 8th Integrity Citizens’ Auditors* were appointed and will work on the front lines for two years until January 2026. (* Provincial Council recommendation 58, city/county recommendation 112, social organization recommendation/contest 14)
Meanwhile, the province received a total of 114 reports and suggestions through the operation of the 7th Integrity Provincial Audit Office from 2022 to 2023, of which 84 cases were processed, 14 cases were not accepted, and 16 cases are being processed.
Gyeongsangbuk-do Auditor Seo Jeong-chan said, “Through this workshop, we will increase understanding and expertise of the role of integrity provincial public auditors and help achieve a more transparent and clean provincial government.”
