[Announcement of the 2025 Transparency Society Award Recipients by the Korea Transparency Organization]
- Journalist Kim Chae-woon, who revealed the integrity and resolve of an honest public official by making a farewell letter public
- The Audit Office of the Korea Racing Authority, for its efforts to eradicate the long-standing practice of accepting gratuities
The Transparency International-Korea (TI Korea), the Korean chapter of Transparency International (Co-CEOs: Lee Sang-hak, Toi Hyu, and Yoo Han-beom), announced today the recipients of the 2025 Transparency Society Award.
This year’s award recipients are journalist Kim Chae-woon, who highlighted the determination of an upright public official through investigative reporting, and the Audit Office of the Korea Racing Authority, which worked to eliminate the entrenched practice of accepting gratuities through special audits. The reasons for their selection are as follows:
- Journalist Kim Chae-woon
As a reporter for The Hankyoreh, Kim Chae-woon publicly disclosed the farewell letter of the late Kim ○○, Acting Director of the Anti-Corruption Bureau of the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission, on the first anniversary of his passing. Through her reporting, Kim significantly contributed to raising public awareness of the resolve of a public official who strove for a corruption-free society and fulfilled his responsibilities, while calling for truth and accountability. For these reasons, she was selected as a recipient of the Transparency Society Award. - Audit Office of the Korea Racing Authority
From 2024 to 2025, the Audit Office conducted special audits and improved related systems to eliminate the practice of exchanging gratuities between horse-racing customers and betting clerks. Furthermore, it provided special training for employees and launched a public campaign for racing customers titled “We Accept Only Your Goodwill,” contributing to the promotion of a healthy horse-racing culture and the spread of an anti-corruption and integrity culture. For these efforts, the office was selected as a recipient of the Transparency Society Award.
Hwarim, Chair of the Transparency Society Award Selection Committee and a board member of the Korea Transparency Organization, stated:
“We hope that today’s Transparency Society Award will serve as a modest gesture of comfort and encouragement in recognition of the recipients’ long-standing contributions. We also hope it brings due honor to the award-winning institution for its efforts in ethical and compliance-based management. A fair and transparent society will come closer to us more quickly through continued public interest, warm encouragement for these efforts, and collective action by all of us.”
The Transparency Society Award was established by the Korea Transparency Organization in 2001 to applaud and encourage efforts to make society more transparent and just, and to help such efforts spread throughout society. This year marks the 25th presentation of the award. The award ceremony will be held on Tuesday, December 9, at 5:00 p.m., at “Bakery Jo” within Jogyesa Temple, in observance of International Anti-Corruption Day.
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