Chairperson Pak Un Jong of ACRC, “Korea will Lead the Spread of Anti-Corruption Culture in the Asia Pacific Region”
 

Regional Anti-Corruption Conference of ADB/OECD will be held from November 15

□ Chairperson of Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission, Pak Un Jong, will reaffirm Korea’s leading role in the efforts to nurture anti-corruption culture in the Asia Pacific region.

The Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission (ACRC, Chairperson Pak Un Jong) announced on December 14 that it would hold Regional Anti-Corruption Conference of the ADB/OECD Anti-Corruption Initiative for Asia and the Pacific jointly with Asia Development Bank (ADB) and Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) at Millennium Seoul Hilton Hotel on November 15-17. 
   
□ The Anti-Corruption Initiative for Asia-Pacific was launched by the ADB and OECD in 1999 to support anti-corruption efforts in the Asia Pacific region. The 9th Regional Conference of the ADB/OECD Anti-Corruption Initiative will bring together 350 leaders of member states and international anti-corruption agencies.

The opening ceremony will be attended by high ranking officials in Korea and the world including Prime Minister, Lee Nak-yon, Chairperson of the ACRC, Pak Un Jong, Head of Office of Anti-corruption and Integrity of ADB, Clare Wee.
 
□ Chairperson Pak Un Jong of the ACRC will state in her opening remarks that witnessing social changes the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act has brought and how the country overcame the recent political turmoil triggered by confidantes of the previous president, the ACRC could clearly feel Korean people’s strong demand and desire for ending corruption. She will then say that other Asia Pacific countries’ level of public demand and desire for eradicating corruption is not different from those of Korea and stress the need of anti-corruption efforts in Asia Pacific anti-corruption agencies to nurture integrity culture in the region.

□ At the following meeting of High Level Panel on Achievements and Challenges, and Future Priorities for the Asia-Pacific, Chairperson Pak will introduce the enactment of the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act as Korea’s good anti-corruption practice with the Act’s achievements and future priorities. Representatives of other anti-corruption agencies in the Asia Pacific nations including Hong Kong, China, and Vietnam will share their nation’s anti-corruption achievements.

ACRC Chairperson Pak will say in her presentation that the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act will reduce corruption-causing factors which had been accepted under the name of customs and will contribute to the nations’ efforts to become a nation free of corruption.

At Public Integrity Network meeting, Balázs Horváth, Director of UNDP Seoul Policy Centre will say that deep-rooted corruption has impeded human development, emphasizing the need to end corruption. He will also state that due to corruption, the public do not trust in the government and politics.

□ During this conference, integrity strategy for UN Sustainable Development Agenda 2030 and public-private integrity policies in the Asia Pacific region will also be discussed in panel discussions and group discussions.

Especially, the ACRC hopes that this conference will be an opportunity to draw interest from various sectors through multi-faceted discussions on fundamental anti-corruption strategies such as cooperation measures with businesses and civil society, and integrity education for children.

At the Law Enforcement Network meeting presided by the Ministry of Justice, measures to confiscate and recover illegal asset leaked overseas will be covered with a focus on case studies of the World Bank and big law firms in the US.

□ Director General Ahn Junho of the Anti-Corruption Bureau of the ACRC will introduce Korean government’s strong anti-corruption measures including operation of anti-corruption policy consultative council, strict punishment of five major crimes including bribery and influence peddling, strong prevention and punishment against corruption in the defense sector, and ending private sector corruption.

Executive Director of Transparency International Cambodia, Preap Kol, will highlight the need for public-private cooperation, citing that removing corruption requires efforts from the civil society and general public as well as capacity building in the public sector.

□ An official from the ACRC said, “This conference will be an opportunity for Korea to reaffirm its new administration’s strong anti-corruption will and commitment that eradicating corruption would be the starting point of all government policies.” He added that Korea could build a strong foundation to lead the spread of anti-corruption culture in the Asia Pacific region.

□ Meanwhile, hoping to contribute to the successful hosting of PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympics, the ACRC will offer foreign participants a DMZ tour including Dora Observatory and Unification Village to see that Korean is safe and peaceful country to visit.