Jeonbuk National University (JBNU) President Yang O-bong emphasized the importance of integrity in a special lecture to all staff at 3:00 p.m. on the 18th in Donghaeng Hall on the 7th floor of the JBNU International Center.

The lecture was organized to redefine integrity as a core value of university competitiveness beyond a moral virtue and to drive a change in awareness across all members.

In his lecture, President Yang stressed that the concept of integrity has evolved from an individual moral virtue into a key element that determines institutional transparency and fairness, and ultimately the competitiveness of nations and universities.

Quoting Transparency International's 2025 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), he explained that even in the case of Singapore, which ranks third worldwide in the CPI, countries with high integrity exhibit greater transparency in public administration and higher social trust, which translate into national competitiveness.

He presented data from the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission showing that a 10-point increase in the CPI corresponds to a 15.3% rise in GDP per capita, and emphasized, 'Since one point of integrity equates to a 1.53% increase in economic growth, integrity is no longer merely a moral issue but a matter of survival.'

He added that the UN estimates global economic losses from corruption at about $2.6 trillion annually, noting that corruption ultimately imposes enormous costs on society as a whole.

President Yang also identified integrity as a core element of university competitiveness. He said that the OECD analyzes that the integrity of an education system determines the quality of education and the credibility of research, and noted that top global universities such as MIT, Stanford, Oxford, and Harvard uniformly maintain systematic integrity governance — including dedicated research ethics offices, independent investigation committees, and internal whistleblower protection systems. He emphasized that integrity-based university governance enhances research credibility, strengthens operational transparency, and plays the most critical role in attracting top talent.

He then outlined JBNU's anti-corruption and integrity policy direction for this year. He said, 'We will conduct detailed analyses of areas vulnerable to corruption through integrity consulting, the Anti-Corruption and Integrity Council, and a practical task force for improving integrity. We will establish a dedicated anti-corruption 'Integrity Ethics Team,' set up a personnel task force, and implement outreach financial consulting to focus on improving corruption-prone areas.' He added, 'In addition, we will spread an integrity culture across the university by preventing research conflicts of interest and strengthening research ethics, conducting integrity monitoring of contractors, and offering regular curricular courses on integrity for students.'

Concluding the lecture, President Yang reiterated, 'Integrity is not merely compliance with regulations but a core value of university competitiveness; it builds trust and defines the university's image.' He added, 'For JBNU to grow into a global top-100 university, a culture of integrity is essential. I ask all members to practice integrity in their respective roles so that we can build a trusted JBNU together.'