ACRC Announced Results of 2025 Comprehensive Integrity Assessment of Public Institutions

- Seoul Gwangjin District and Boseong County in Jeollanam-do have achieved top grade for 3 consecutive years

- The overall integrity score for administrative agencies/public service related organizations (81 points) has increased compared to the previous year…Complainants' corruption experience rate (0.49%) has also risen, indicating a need for continuous anti corruption efforts that the public can feel

- Among national and public universities, research fund embezzlement/misappropriation experience rate (2.38%) was relatively high

- The overall integrity score (74.9 points) and integrity effort score (87.4 points) for local councils have increased compared to the previous year… However, integrity perception score (67 points) has decreased, indicating that continuous efforts to improve the integrity awareness in local fields are necessary

(Dec. 23rd, 2025, ACRC)

The Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission (ACRC, Chairperson Ryu Chul Whan) announced the results of the '2025 Comprehensive Integrity Assessment of Public Institutions', which comprehensively measures and evaluates the integrity levels of 709 public institutions.

* Originally, 721 institutions were to be evaluated for 2025, but the number was reduced to 709 due to exemptions for special disaster areas (8 institutions), liquidation of an institution (1 institution), and insufficient valid samples (3 institutions).

The comprehensive integrity assessment results were derived from the cumulative results of the following: a survey involving about 300,000 participants, including 220,000 citizens with service experience with public institutions and 80,000 internal staffs, which reflects the 'integrity perception'; the 'integrity effort score' that evaluates the anti-corruption efforts undertaken by institutions over one year; and the 'corruption status evaluation' that reflects the occurrence of corruption events in terms of deductions.

Assessment Results of Administrative Agencies and Public Service-Related Organizations

First, the integrity scores for all five categories - central administrative agencies (48), metropolitan governments (17), local governments (218), education agencies (17), and related organizations (150) - have increased compared to the previous year.

The average integrity score of 450 public institutions for the year 2025 was 81 points, which is an increase of 0.7 points from a year earlier, marking the first upward trend since the comprehensive integrity assessment system was reformed in 2022.

※ Since 2022, the integrity assessment system and the anti-corruption initiative assessment system were integrated into the current comprehensive integrity assessment system [integrity perception score + integrity effort score - corruption reality assessment (deduction of 10 points in maximum)

By type of institution, while the integrity effort scores increased across all types of public institutions, the integrity perception scores declined in central administrative agencies and metropolitan local governments, particularly with the largest drop in the metropolitan local governments (▼0.5 points).

By institution, there are 24 institutions (5.3%) that have achieved a Grade 1, an increase of six institutions from the previous year, and among them, two institutions, Seoul Gwangjin District and Boseong County in Jeonnam, have maintained the Grade 1 for three consecutive years. In the Integrity Perception area, the Administrative City Construction Agency received Grade 1 for three consecutive years, while in the integrity effort area, Seoul Gwangjin District and the National Health Insurance Corporation received Grade 1 for three consecutive years.

Among 450 public institutions evaluated this time, 131 institutions (29.1%) achieved higher integrity grades than those they received in the previous year while 113 institutions (25.1%) received lower grades. Among these, 22 institutions (4.9%), including the Intellectual Property Office and Gyeongnam Changnyeong County, have seen their grades rise by two stages while Gunsan City and Jangsu Country in Jeonbuk province have improved their grades by three places from the previous year.

The average integrity perception score of all evaluated institutions was 79.3 points, an increase of 0.1 points from a year earlier. By type of institution, integrity perception scores of central administrative agencies (▼0.3points) and metropolitan local governments (▼0.5 points) declined, while basic local governments (▲0.3 points) and public service-related organizations (▲0.1 points) saw their scores improve, contributing to the overall average rise in integrity perception.

In the survey on integrity perceptions among the public during their dealings with public institutions, a high number of negative responses were recorded for the items "low transparency in operations" and "passive work behaviors such as nonfeasance or neglect of duty." Meanwhile, the survey on integrity perceptions by public officials revealed vulnerabilities in areas related to "providing privileges based on relationships or private interests" and "unreasonable demands, directives, and abuses of power," indicating the need for anti-corruption measures that consider vulnerabilities both within and outside the organization.

Additionally, the proportion of the public experiencing corruption was 0.49%, which has increased (▲0.09 percentage points) compared to the previous year, indicating that the experience rate of traditional corrupt practices such as bribery, gifts, and favors remains high. This suggests that efforts to combat corruption in the public sector that are perceptible to the public should continue to be made.

The integrity effort score rose to 84.8 points, an increase of 1.3 points compared to the previous year, reflecting the systematic implementation of anti-corruption policies based on thorough adherence to assessment indicators across various institutions. Notably, basic local governments showed the largest increase (▲2.0 points) for the second consecutive year, maintaining a steady upward trend.

*In the year 2022: 75.9 points →2023: 78.5 points → 2024: 81.1 points → 2025: 83.1 points

Furthermore, to promote the task of "mandatory integrity education for future generations" related to National Policy Task No. 16 "Anti-Corruption Reform Aimed at Realization of Civil Rights and Interest," a new assessment indicator for "Expansion of Integrity Education" was established. As a result, integrity education has been conducted for 21,300 students across 17 city and provincial educational offices and 176 Offices of Education nationwide.

As for the corruption reality assessment, 390 corruption cases have been identified across 153 institutions, showing a decrease* in both the number of institutions subject to deductions and the number of cases compared to the previous year.

In terms of corrupt behavior types, management positions reported the highest rates of abuse of power (47.3%), middle management had the highest rates of bribery (31.7%), and lower-level positions had the highest rates of embezzlement or misappropriation of public funds (25.3%), suggesting the need for tailored anti-corruption measures that consider the occurrence patterns of corruption cases by job position.

* In 2024, 199 institutions and 490 cases were subject to deductions.

Meanwhile, among the 27 institutions that received integrity consulting* from the ACRC, 18 institutions (66.7%) saw their comprehensive integrity scores increase. Notably, Jangsu County in Jeonbuk State jumped three grades, while Namyangju City in Gyeonggi Province, Pyeongtaek City in Gyeonggi Province, Hampyeong County in Jeonnam, Gyeryong City in Chungnam, the Korea Asset Management Corporation, and the Sangcheon County Council in Gyeongnam all achieved an increase of two grades.

* This consulting was conducted among 27 organizations that received Grade 4 or 5 in the previous year, focusing on diagnosing vulnerable areas and finding improvement measures to enhance integrity.

Results of Assessments for Public Universities and Local Councils

Public universities (16) and local councils (243) were evaluated using a separate assessment model due to the different characteristics and nature of their work compared to administrative agencies and public service-related organizations.

[Assessment Results for Public Universities]

As a result of the comprehensive integrity assessment for the 16 public universities with an incoming student capacity of more than 2,500, they received a score of 78.0 points, which is an increase of 0.4 points compared to 2023, but still lower than the comprehensive integrity score of administrative agencies and public service-related organizations (81 points).

* Public universities were not subject to the 2024 comprehensive integrity assessment, so this is a comparison with the 2023 assessment results.

The integrity perception score for public universities was 74.1 points, a decrease of 2.1 points compared to 2023. This decline is attributed to lower integrity perception scores reported by the general public who have experience in contract work (93.5 points, ▼1.0 point), as well as by internal members such as faculty, researchers, and graduate students involved in research and administrative tasks (68.6 points, ▼2.4 points).

In particular, internal members perceived that the research and administrative areas were relatively more vulnerable to corruption in terms of "provision of privileges" and "abuse of power." Additionally, the experience rate of corruption showed that the rate of experiencing research fund embezzlement or misappropriation (2.38%) was relatively high compared to the experience rate of traditional corrupt practices such as bribery and favors (2.08%). This highlights the urgent need for measures to enhance transparency and integrity in the research sector, which is a specialized area for public and national universities.

Meanwhile, the integrity effort score for public universities was 86.7 points, slightly higher than the average of administrative agencies and public interest organizations (84.8 points). Notably, in line with the newly introduced "expansion of integrity education" indicator aimed at enhancing integrity awareness among future generations, 14 of the 16 universities are implementing integrity education as part of their formal curriculum or conducting special lectures on integrity, thereby laying the groundwork for integrity education for future generations.

[Assessment Results of Local Councils]

Following last year, a comprehensive integrity assessment was conducted for all 243 local councils this year. The comprehensive integrity score is 74.9 points, showing an increase (▲5.7 points) compared to last year, with both metropolitan councils (▲3.2 points) and basic councils (▲5.9 points) experiencing score increases.

However, the integrity perception score evaluated by local government officials, employees of affiliated organizations, and local residents was 67.0 points, which is a decrease of 0.4 points from the previous year. In particular, the score in the "Legislative Activities" area, which measures the extent to which work is conducted fairly without solicitation or requests, was 65.8 points, a decline of 0.7 points from the previous year.

The corruption experience rate in the legislative activities area has also increased for both metropolitan and basic councils compared to the previous year. High corruption experience rates were reported in both types of councils for items such as "unreasonable demands for work beyond authority" (metropolitan: 15.56%, basic: 21.54%) and "improper interference or pressure for privileges" (metropolitan: 8.76%, basic: 11.74%). Additionally, for all items, the corruption experience rate in basic councils was higher than that in metropolitan councils.

The integrity effort score for the 243 local councils was 87.4 points, which is an increase of 9.6 points compared to last year, with a more pronounced rise in basic councils (▲10.2 points) compared to metropolitan councils (▲1.6 points).

In particular, high compliance rates were noted in key indicators such as establishing regulations for fair hiring of non-government employees (97.3 points), integrity training for high-ranking officials (92 points), and curbing unreasonable payment practices for legislative expenses while enhancing transparency in decision-making (88.9 points).

On the other hand, to address corruption vulnerabilities such as inadequate evaluation of overseas business trips and improper expense execution by local councils, the assessment criteria included "improvement of regulations for official overseas trips." As a result, it was found that only 159 councils (65.4%) had established standards and procedures for evaluating overseas trip requests. This indicates a need for ongoing efforts to establish a systematic foundation to enhance transparency in the management of overseas trips by local councils.

The results of the comprehensive integrity assessment will be made public to citizens through the ACRC websites and the evaluated institutions. Additionally, customized improvement measures for the corruption vulnerabilities identified through the evaluation should be swiftly developed and implemented for each institution.

Lee Myung-soon, Vice Chairperson of the ACRC Anti-Corruption Bureau, stated, "The continuous anti-corruption efforts pursued in the public sector have resulted in an increase in the comprehensive integrity score. However, we must be vigilant regarding the rising experience rates of traditional corruption types, such as bribery, gifts, and favors, and strive for ongoing anti-corruption efforts that citizens can perceive."

He further emphasized, "As the central agency for anti-corruption, the ACRC will actively support the promotion of autonomous integrity policies by public institutions at all levels and ensure the implementation of anti-corruption reforms that realize the rights and interests of citizens."