Korea labor ministry welfare fund chiefs sign integrity pledges

The labor ministry said Friday that Chairman Park Seung-heup and Standing Auditor Choo Hye-seon of the Korea Workers' Compensation and Welfare Service each signed a job-integrity contract with a representative of the agency's non-executive directors, ahead of its 343rd board meeting.

The contracts commit the two officials, who are responsible for the service's management and its internal audit, to carrying out their duties fairly and transparently and to accepting responsibility if they breach their integrity obligations. They cover compliance with relevant laws and regulations; a ban on accepting money or gifts related to their work and on improper intervention, lobbying or solicitation for personal gain; a ban on abusing their positions or disclosing work-related secrets; and the recovery of performance bonuses and other consequences if the integrity obligations are violated.

"Public trust is built through fair and transparent work and responsible practice," Park said. "Starting with the head of the institution, I will strictly uphold the principles of integrity and fairness, listen to voices from the field and lead the service so that the public can trust it."

Choo said an honest organizational culture begins with identifying and preventing risk factors in the field in advance, and that she would take the lead in building a service the public trusts through audit work centered on communication and prevention.

Park took office on Sept. 30, and Choo began her term on Sept. 11, according to the ministry.