Kim Jong-cheol (김종철), chairman of the Broadcast Media and Communications Commission, sent a letter to all employees on Wednesday ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday, urging the establishment of discipline among public officials and thorough compliance with security rules.

The letter was prepared to tighten discipline that could loosen ahead of the holiday and to reflect on the duties of public officials in order to fulfil the heavy responsibilities in broadcasting and telecommunications.

In the letter, Kim said, "Laws and principles are a sturdy fence that protects us." He said thoroughly complying with the Constitution and laws in broadcasting and telecommunications work, which is directly linked to people's lives, is a natural duty of public officials and the greatest strength that protects them with confidence. He emphasised the importance of rule-of-law administration.

To block corruption factors that could occur during the holiday period, Kim said, "Small integrity gathers to create great trust." He called for integrity and restraint, saying small mistakes carried out in the name of custom should not render previous efforts futile, and urged building a clean and transparent public service culture.

He also said, "Security is a public official's basic duty and the start of policy." He urged compliance with security rules, saying information leaks could undermine organisational trust in an instant, from office security inspections to the management of various policy materials.

Kim expressed gratitude to employees fulfilling their duties despite a buildup of pending issues, and added that they should also make every effort to prevent safety accidents, including checking emergency contact systems during the holiday period.

The commission said the chairman's letter reflected his determination to set laws and principles straight and strengthen awareness of integrity and security. It said it would tighten discipline during the holiday period and reflect on the duties of public officials to continue administration trusted by the public.