Welcome to the United Nations
Seoul, the capital of the Republic of Korea and nicknamed the “the Miracle of the Han River”, was one of the engines of rapid growth in one country among the “Asian Tigers”. As in many large cities, however, rapid economic growth was accompanied by growing corruption. In response, the Seoul Metropolitan Government launched comprehensive and systematic measures to eradicate as well as to prevent corruption. Among the many measures, the Online Procedures ENhancement for civil applications or the OPEN system has been cited for its effectiveness. This web-based system allows citizens to monitor corruptionprone applications for permits or approvals and to raise questions in the event any irregularities are detected. The experience of Seoul is a good example of how new information technology can be utilized in fighting corruption, improving the transparency of urban administration, and bringing services closer to the citizens.