- Ranked high in data-based objective corruption control measurement-

• The Korean government’s effective control of corruption by lowering corruption risks and opportunities has been highly recognized, even amid the COVID 19 situation.

   

  In the 2021 Index of Public Integrity (IPI) which was recently released, Korea ranked 18^th out of the 114 countries assessed and the 1st amongst Asian countries.

   

• The IPI has been announced every two years since 2015 when it was first published by European Research Center for Anti-corruption and State-Building (ERCAS) based in Berlin released with a support of the European Commission.

   

  The index is globally recognized as an objective assessment of judicial independence, citizen participation, freedom of the press, and effective control of corruption risk in administration, budget, and the market, providing precise data on the status and potential improvement of corruption control.

   

  Korea ranked 23^rd (8.04 scores out of perfect scores of 10), 24^th (8.02 scores), and 20^th (8.33 scores) in 2015, 2017 and 2019 respectively. And this year, among the 114 countries assessed, Korea took the 18^th place (8.09 scores, first among Asian countries).

   

  Specifically, Korea’s rankings of this year in each assessment component are the 1^st in trade openness; the 12^nd in e-citizenship; the 21^st in administrative burden; the 26^th in budget transparency; the 34^th in freedom of press; and the 48^th in judicial independence.

   

• Meanwhile, in the Bribery Risk Matrix (BRM) of TRACE International, a business risk management solution provider, Korea received the highest ranking of 21^st out of 194 countries, classified as the country group of ‘low risk’in terms of bribery risk (Press release dated on November 26, 2021)

   

The IPI and the BRM, recently developed and published, features national corruption measurements using concrete data or specified survey questionnaires to enhance objectivity of assessment results.

• Jeon Hyun-Heui, a Chairperson of the ACRC remarked, “Korea has continued to be advanced in real data-based international assessments. The Korean government will make efforts to consistently improve and implement anti-corruption policies to join advanced countries with integrity.