Transparent Society Award
The awardees 2015
- Kim Nam-kyun (Journalist of Chungcheong Review)
Kim Nam-gyun discovered and reported a corruption scandal at Chungcheong Provincial Education Office. He proved the facts and alarmed the public. Due to his coverage, the local government found out about billions of KRW of wasted taxes.
- Bae Jae-heum, Son Byung-don, Lee Sang-hun, Lee Won-young, Lee Jae-ik, Jang Kung-uk (dismissed Professors of the University of Suwon)
The six professors of the University of Suwon re-established a professor council at their university and discussed issues of corruption and bribery in this committee. In 2013, they found out about a corruption scandal and reported to the principle. Even though they were later dismissed, the six awardees still try to enhance transparency at the University of Suwon and update the public about the ongoing corruption case.
- Jung Dae-hwa (Professor of Sangjii University)
Jung Dae-hwa reported a nepotism scandal at Sangji University: In 2011, the university’s former chairman Kim Moon-ki was appointed head of the university’s foundation. As a chairman, Kim once stepped down due to a high profile corruption scandal. Professor Jung refused Kim’s anew appointment and started a nationwide awareness campaign informing the public about the problems most private universities are still facing in South Korea.
- Seoul ‘Daegeum e-Baro’ system
The Seoul ‘Daegeum e-Baro’ system allows the partial payment of construction costs and thus guarantees the transparency of the whole construction process. It prevents unpaid wages and outstanding construction costs. In South Korea, it is still common practice to pay companies only after finishing the construction site, thus risking regular wages of construction workers and staff.
See photos of the awarding ceremony: ceremony photos
Moon Hyun-gu, chairperson of the evaluation committee and professor of Korea University, explained: “In 2015, there were a lot of corruption scandals at private universities. This is why the evaluation committee has chosen six dismissed professors of the University of Suwon and Jung Dae-hwa, professor of Sangji University, who tried to promote the transparency of private universities. This award is also a small encouragement for the Seoul city infrastructure center which tried to enhance transparency, and also for Kim Nam-gyun, who tried to report corruption as a journalist of Chungcheong Review.”