Imsil County in North Jeolla Province announced on August 1 that it will issue an 'integrity advisory' until the end of the month to prevent laxity in public service discipline during the summer vacation season and to foster a culture of integrity.
This integrity advisory aims to preemptively address potential corruption and breaches of decorum that may arise during the summer vacation period when public officials may become complacent.
Key measures include: prohibiting private contact with job-related individuals (such as during travel or golf), banning the acceptance of any gifts or favors related to vacation expenses and accommodations from job-related individuals, prohibiting excessive drinking, drunk driving, gambling, assault, and sexual offenses that could damage decorum while on vacation, and preventing delays or neglect in processing civil complaints under the pretext of vacation.
The county will share the contents of the integrity advisory with all employees through an internal administrative bulletin and will conduct special inspections to reinforce public service discipline.
Additionally, the county plans to hold individuals accountable if any violations are detected.
County Mayor Han Deok-soo stated, “Integrity is the most fundamental value of public officials in maintaining the trust of the citizens. I hope all employees will maintain their sense of responsibility and integrity during the vacation period and work together to create a public service culture that earns the trust of the citizens.”
In addition to issuing the integrity advisory, the county is making various efforts to promote a culture of integrity, including integrity training for all employees, operating a clean committee, managing a corruption and public interest reporting center for public officials, and conducting a relay of integrity messages.
In the integrity assessment by the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission, Imsil County received a grade of 3 in 2024 and 2025.
Imsil County announced on August 2 that it has successfully completed the '2026 Leaf Tobacco Joint Utilization Facility Construction Support Project' aimed at establishing a stable production base and improving quality for leaf tobacco farming households.
This project was initiated to ensure stable drying conditions for leaf tobacco.
The county invested a total of 145 million won, including 36 million won from the county budget, to construct a 358.8 square meter (approximately 108 pyeong) leaf tobacco drying facility for the Jeonbuk Tobacco Production Cooperative, thereby establishing a joint utilization facility.
The newly established leaf tobacco drying facility is expected to enhance the efficiency of drying operations and minimize quality degradation due to weather conditions, contributing to the establishment of a high-quality leaf tobacco production base.
Leaf tobacco is made by drying whole leaves without cutting them. According to KT&G's 2025 integrated report, the domestic purchase volume of leaf tobacco decreased from 8,013 tons in 2021 to 7,224 tons in 2022, 6,240 tons in 2023, and 5,876 tons in 2024. Last year, it rebounded to 6,773 tons, an increase from the previous year.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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