'Integrity Culture Week' runs Monday through Friday, featuring a talk concert, musical and book exhibition; Lee Ki-jae vows to set example for staff
Yangcheon-gu District Mayor Lee Ki-jae has earned a reputation as an "integrity district mayor" — a nickname given to him by both district office employees and residents.
Lee reaffirmed that commitment Monday, attending an event aimed at spreading a culture of integrity and pledging to lead by personal example.
"Working in a way that leaves your conscience clear — that is what integrity means," Lee said at an integrity talk show held Monday. "I will be the first to set that example."
Lee's own conduct appears to be rubbing off on district office staff, with his approach to integrity spreading through the organization.
The district is running an "Integrity Culture Week" from Monday through Friday to share the value of integrity and promote it as part of everyday life.
During the week, the district plans to roll out a range of participatory programs — including an integrity talk concert, a musical and a book exhibition — with the goal of building an organizational culture in which employees genuinely feel and practice those values.
The week kicked off Monday afternoon at Haenuri Town, where about 150 employees gathered for the "Clean Yangcheon Festa." The opening event featured an integrity talk concert with the district mayor and staff, a case-study lecture on integrity, and a musical blending the arts with an anti-corruption message.
At the talk concert, employees and the district mayor exchanged views on what a healthy organizational culture should look like, using real-time electronic voting. On the subject of fair administration, Lee said, "Public service means serving residents in the public sphere," adding that "it is important to deliver effective policies for residents through fair and open participation."
The integrity musical that followed dramatized the kind of improper outside pressure and internal conflict that public servants can face on the job. It followed a protagonist who wrestles with temptation but ultimately chooses principle over convenience, conveying the values of integrity and the resolve required to uphold them in an accessible and relatable way.
Through Friday, the district will also run additional participatory programs, including an integrity bookshelf displaying books read by staff along with their written reflections, an integrity quiz accessible via QR code, and an integrity practice campaign to help spread a culture of clean governance.
The district has also established "Yangcheon Way," a set of 10 workplace commitments designed to transform organizational culture. The framework spells out five encouraged behaviors — using respectful language, giving clear work instructions and filing efficient reports, among others — alongside five practices to avoid, such as excessive deference to hierarchy, taking leave only when others approve, and contacting colleagues after hours. The district plans to embed these norms into everyday work life to build a healthy organizational culture grounded in mutual respect and trust.
"Through this Integrity Culture Week, I want our employees to build an organizational culture of mutual respect and adherence to principle, so that we can deliver an administration that residents trust even more," Lee said. "We will correct unreasonable practices and work harder to create a healthy organizational culture based on mutual respect."
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